Heaven's Fall
by LadyKayoss
Summary: Neil's first mission with the Deep Eyes involves him with a seemingly harmless religious cult.
1. First Mission

Disclaimer: I don't own the FF:TSW characters, though General Worthington was named after someone I worked with who died in a tragic accident this past summer.  
  
Author's Note: I know, I don't need another story. But my muses won't leave me alone! This chapter was going to be much longer, until I realized it had already reached the length of a "Salvation" chapter – and I was only halfway done. This, by the way, is a "short" story, about four parts are planned. Oh, and does anyone want to volunteer their names – online or real – for members of the cult? Just to warn you, the characters are minor and probably won't be like anything in real life, so don't be offended. I just thought it would be a fun gift to my fans. And the General Ryder referenced is indeed the one from "Out of the Ashes." I have an elaborate timeline I concocted, and both this story and OOTA fit to it.  
  
HEAVEN'S FALL  
  
Part One  
  
First Mission  
  
July 11, 2052  
  
Corporal Alan Gibson clutched nervously at the silver cross hanging at this throat, muttering anxious prayers. His fellow soldiers made their usual jeering remarks, but he ignored them. If they didn't want to believe, that was their problem. But he would survive this day! God would protect him and those he loved.  
  
In the transport seat beside him, Corporal Judy Wallace smiled encouragingly at him, and placed one armored hand on his thigh. "Ignore them," she murmured. "We need all the help we can get." She knew how religious he was, and understood him. It was no wonder he loved her.  
  
Finishing his prayers, he released the cross and leaned over to pick up the clunky helmet at his feet. It was a new model, a prototype that was supposed to use the fairly new scanning equipment to help the soldiers actually see the Phantoms. This was to be the first real field test, and Alan's squadron, along with three other squads, were going to do the test in a Phantom nesting area outside San Francisco.  
  
"All right me, suit up. ETA is ten minutes," Captain Andrews, the field commander, announced. There were groans as the assembled men and women fitted the heavy helmets over their heads. Alan hoped they would refine the technology quickly, or the weight of the helmets would cause more damage than the Phantoms!  
  
He turned to offer his help to Judy, but she had already put her helmet on. He smiled, and she gave him a thumbs up. Then he pulled his own over his head.  
  
Adjusting to the strange vision the helmets gave him was difficult, but they had all put in enough practice that they were used to it. Still, seeing that filmy blue outline in every soldier was disconcerting. What was it he saw? Could the helmets see their souls? It seemed almost blasphemous, somehow.  
  
But he wasn't going to think about that. Their transport had landed, and the troops were filing out. Alan took his place, followed closely by Judy. He hoisted his weapon, wondering what it would be like to actually have a target they could see to shoot.  
  
He was yanked from his thoughts by the cry "Incoming!" and… things… came up from the depths of the Phantoms' lair.  
  
"My God," Judy whispered beside him. She raised her weapon. Alan attempted to do the same, but his fingers had frozen. The creatures still were pouring out from the fissure in the earth where they'd resided, a roiling red-orange mass. They separated as they saw the army, forming a motley collection of armored beasts.  
  
"Fire!" Captain Andrews cried. The soldiers all raised their weapons and targeted creatures they had never seen before. The beasts seemed to explode when mortally wounded, but more would come up to replace them, some coming up through the dirt around them.  
  
That was when the casualties began. When the first tentacles came up underfoot, no one had time to move. They hadn't known the creatures could move through solid earth! Then came a scream, as the first soldier died. Alan could only stare as the glowing red form sank parts of itself into the man's blue glow… and wrenched it away.  
  
They ate souls! Alan had heard nothing about this. He knew the Phantoms' touch was deadly, but he hadn't known why!  
  
As more creatures appeared, Alan realized something with a dread certainty: These creatures weren't alien invaders, they were demons, harvesting souls, ingesting them so they would never find their way to Heaven.  
  
"Retreat!" Captain Andrews cried. "There's too many of them!" There weren't supposed to be this many, and their purpose had only been to test the equipment, not eliminate the nest. The soldiers ran, stopping only to fire at any Phantom blocking their way. They'd lost three of their number, and wanted to get out of there fast.  
  
Then a scream froze Alan in his tracks. Judy's body was slumping forward, into Alan's arms, as her soul was pulled into one of the demons.  
  
"NO!" he wailed. Another soldier grabbed his shoulder, yanking him towards the waiting transport. Judy's still form was knocked from his grasp. He tried to catch her, but he'd already been pulled too far away.  
  
How could this happen? Judy was a good woman! Why did she die? Oh God, how could you allow all these people to be killed?  
  
The answer came to him as he was forced into a seat, and the transport took off. God would never allow demons to get a foothold on earth! But there has been so much death… What if Heaven has fallen to the demons? He yanked his helmet off, and buried his face in his hands. That means this is hell on earth…  
  
He unfastened the cross from his neck and tossed it to the floor.  
  
  
  
April 14, 2062  
  
Jane gave her chest plate one last swipe with the rag, the cloth lingering over the angel wings painted there so many months ago. "You're like the angel of death on the battlefield – in a good way!" Jack had said when she'd seen what he'd done. He'd flashed that rare, slow smile that had always made her feel weak at the knees. "I just wanted to let the Phantoms know what they're in for."  
  
Angel of death, maybe. Certainly not a guardian angel. Jane found herself debating once again whether to wipe away the wings he'd painted on there, wings she hadn't earned. I didn't do my duty, and now Jack's gone… They had barely even been broken in as a team! General Worthington had selected herself, Corporal Jack Madison, Sergeant Ryan Whittaker, and Captain Gray Edwards as the best of the Deep Eyes soldiers, intending to fuse them into an unstoppable squad. That had been four months ago. One month later, they had lost Jack.  
  
Jane's hand clenched around the cloth, remembering the sheer pointlessness of his death. They hadn't even been out in the field! Jack had been their technician, and he'd been working on a jeep with a busted axle. The vehicle had slipped… By the time Jane had found him, he'd been dead. If only she'd gotten there earlier…  
  
But there was no point thinking about this now. Her grip relaxed, and she decided to put her armor away, wings intact though undeserved.  
  
After placing her armor in her locker, she wandered back towards her room, cursing her emotions. She couldn't get Jack out of her mind! And the Captain's announcement that they were getting a new technician tomorrow had opened the still-fresh wounds. She'd known they were going to have to take another member to complete their squad, but this was much too soon! And she hadn't realized it would hurt this much.  
  
After all, she'd barely known Jack. But there'd been something about him, an instant attraction that Jane hadn't felt in a long time. Jack was a man she knew she could have loved.  
  
* * *  
  
Ryan and Gray were waiting for her an hour later, meeting in a private room near General Worthington's office. Gray held a datapad in one hand, the luminescence dying his face green.  
  
"What's going on?" Jane asked. She had received the summons, but not the reason for their meeting. She assumed it had to do with their new tech, and fought down the clenching feeling in her stomach.  
  
"General Worthington has selected our new technician," Gray began. "It's only a temporary appointment, really. We need him for our next mission."  
  
Jane perked up at that. Finally, some action… And it seems like we're not going to have the tech with us for long. Good. Maybe she'd have time to recover while they searched for the real replacement.  
  
"We're going," Gray said significantly, "to the Zeus Station."  
  
Jane and Ryan could only stare. "They're sending a combat team out in space?" Jane said incredulously.  
  
"The general needs someone he trusts up there. Don't worry; it's not for a tour of duty. The general didn't go into details though, because he's waiting for our tech."  
  
"Is it someone we know?" Ryan asked.  
  
Gray shook his head. "I've never met him. He's one of General Ryder's men." Jane made a face. General Ryder was supposed to take over Worthington's position when he retired; apparently, he was already trying to insinuate his men into New York. "He's talented; which makes it surprising he's only just been selected for the Deep Eyes." Gray handed his datapad to Ryan, who looked over the info and nodded.  
  
"He almost seems to good to be true," Ryan said, passing it along to Jane.  
  
Jane examined it curiously, wondering who could be that impressive. When she got her answer, she stiffened. She could only stare, her mouth moving wordlessly, at the picture in the profile.  
  
"Jane, what's wrong?" Gray asked.  
  
"No," she breathed, horrified. There must be a mistake! she thought frantically. It isn't possible! "Anybody but him!"  
  
"Jane?" Gray repeated.  
  
"Why does it have to be Neil Fleming?"  
  
"You know him?" Ryan asked. He seemed amused by the normally stoic Jane's reactions, and was barely hiding a grin.  
  
"He was the bane of my existence back in the Houston Military Academy." Jane scowled at the file photo, remembering the mischievous glint Neil had perpetually worn. Maybe he's changed…? "He was a year behind me, and was constantly getting into trouble. Neil could hack into or break into anything… and pin it on others. I was one of his favorite victims; he thought it would 'loosen me up.'" Jane realized she was revealing far too much about herself and changed the subject. "Have you heard about the infamous 'Quatro Incident?'"  
  
Ryan shook his head. "Musta been after my time."  
  
"I have," Gray said. "I was doing a mission for the HMA at the time, so I heard all about it. The Academy had received three new Quatros to train the students, and someone stole one and went on a little joyride with his girlfriend."  
  
Ryan whistled. "Was he caught?"  
  
"That's the thing. The major in charge of the Academy would never have known if the culprit hadn't run into a nest of Phantoms where none had been previously reported, and dutifully told Major Wilkes." Gray's eyes widened. "That was Fleming?"  
  
Jane nodded. "He wasn't expelled since he did inform the major, but his chances for a Deep Eyes placement seemed slim."  
  
Gray glanced down at the datapad that had been returned to him. "Are you sure this is the same man?"  
  
Jane tapped the holographic photo. "I recognize him, sir. Believe me, one does not forget Neil Fleming. No matter how hard they try." Gray grimaced but said nothing. Well, they were going to meet the man tomorrow morning. Maybe Neil had changed…  
  
* * *  
  
Oh God, he looks exactly how I remember him! Jane thought the next morning. She, Ryan, and Gray had gathered to wait for Neil outside the gym. The group was going to work through some team training exercises to try to help Neil fit in before their mission. Jane had been hoping that Neil would be far more mature than she remembered. Taller maybe, with more muscle.  
  
Compared to the rest of the Deep Eyes, Neil was scrawny. He was short, thin, and moved with a nervous energy. His hands were seldom still, and he shifted from foot to foot whenever he paused. His bright blue eyes scanned the soldiers coming and going as he looked for his new team. So far, he hadn't seen them yet.  
  
"That's him," Jane hissed, turning her back to the searching Neil.  
  
"He doesn't look too threatening," Ryan observed.  
  
"You haven't spoken to him yet," Jane growled. Oh please let his voice have deepened! Don't let it be that shrill nasal whine –  
  
"Why Jane! It is you!" A voice Jane remembered all too clearly cut through her thoughts. Jane shuddered, and turned to face Neil. "Never thought I'd see you again."  
  
"Hello, Corporal Fleming," Jane said through gritted teeth.  
  
"I thought that was your name in the file Ryder gave me," Neil continued easily. He turned to face Gray and Ryan, flashing them a grin. "Then you must be the rest of the squad, huh?" He snapped his hand up in a belated salute. "Corporal Neil Fleming reporting for duty, sir." He looked back and forth between Gray and Ryan, unsure which was which.  
  
"I'm Captain Gray Edwards," Gray said, returning the salute uncertainly. "This is Sergeant Ryan Whittaker. I believe you know Corporal Jane Proudfoot." Jane didn't like the way Gray said that. She had the sinking feeling she was going to spend time baby-sitting Neil on their upcoming mission. Dammit…  
  
"All right, let's get started!" Neil said eagerly.  
  
* * *  
  
I will not keel over. I will not pass out. I have been through tougher workouts before… Though never with someone like Jane… Neil Fleming had been happy to see a familiar face when he'd met his new squad. He was regretting that joy now. Jane apparently remembered him all to well and had put him through a workout that had even shocked his new captain. Okay, she holds a grudge, Neil thought weakly as he sank to the locker room bench before his knees gave out under him.  
  
But, now there was a glimmer of satisfaction in Neil's thoughts, she was panting as hard as I was. She didn't expect me to keep up so well!  
  
Of course, if he passed out now, he'd lose whatever respect he'd earned from his new comrades. So he just groaned, gritted his teeth, and rubbed the salve he'd found onto his aching muscles.  
  
"She worked you pretty hard," a voice said casually. Neil looked up to see the sergeant, Ryan, standing over him, a sympathetic expression on his face.  
  
"Yeah," Neil groaned. "Does she do this to all the new guys, or am I just lucky?"  
  
"I don't know. You're the first new guy we've had since she joined."  
  
"I don't see why she had to be so rough. I'm only along for this mission. No one said the position was permanent," Neil sulked. "Besides, it's not even going to require this sort of physical activity. Probably a good thing since, thanks to Jane, I can hardly move."  
  
"You kept up well," Ryan said, his tone admiring.  
  
"Pretty well for a small guy, you mean," Neil sighed. "Why didn't you or Captain Edwards stop her? She could have killed me!"  
  
Ryan chuckled. "We would have stopped it before you died. Besides, we were curious."  
  
"Thanks," Neil muttered.  
  
"I think, though, the Captain was testing you," Ryan concluded.  
  
"Did I pass?"  
  
Ryan shrugged as he pulled a fresh set of clothes from his locker. "The general wants us to assemble at 1200. We'd better hurry."  
  
Neil groaned again, lurching to his aching feet. "I'm just glad we're going to be in zero-G soon, or my legs could never hold my weight.  
  
Ryan laughed. Neil rather liked the sergeant's easygoing nature. He was someone Neil wouldn't mind working with for an extended period of time.  
  
Then Ryan's face suddenly turned serious. "You should watch out for Jane," he warned quietly.  
  
"I've handled her before," Neil said. Something about the sergeant's face made Neil uneasy.  
  
"We lost our last tech in an accident. He and Jane were… very close," Ryan said. "She might resent you for taking his place."  
  
"I'll keep that in mind," Neil said. They finished readying themselves in silence, then hurried to General Worthington's office.  
  
* * *  
  
Jane and Gray were already there when Neil and Ryan finally arrived. Jane smirked as Neil winced when he sad down to face the general.  
  
General Worthington was in his sixties, his hair thin and gray and his face worn and wrinkled. His hazel eyes were weary from the ceaseless threat of the Phantoms. He'd been fighting them since they had first arrived, and was overdue for retirement. Some said the only reason he still fought was because two of his three children had been killed by Phantoms.  
  
General Worthington got straight to the point. "As you already know, I'm sending you to the Zeus Station. Two days ago, at 2300 hours, someone broke into the control room and fired the cannon."  
  
The squad gasped in surprise. "Sir," Neil began tentatively, "construction of the Zeus Cannon was shut down. It was never completed. How can it be fired?"  
  
"And by whom?" Gray wondered. "I was under the impression the control room was sealed when the Zeus Cannon project was halted."  
  
The general nodded. "That is partially why I am sending your squad up there with a tech. I want you to investigate this. As for the cannon being incomplete," Worthington said, gazing at Neil, "it was projected to be only a year away from completion before the severe system glitches and the hefty cost forced the Council to stop construction. However, the accelerator chamber is complete, and the ovo-generators have been cultured almost to maximum capacity. It can indeed be fired, as our culprit has proved."  
  
"Why didn't we hear about this sooner, sir?" Ryan asked. "Seems like something like this would be all over the news."  
  
"It's been covered up. Luckily it hit out in the wasteland near San Francisco. No one was nearby at the time, and the only damage is a big hole in the ground. There aren't even any Phantoms there, either, so it really does work. Too bad the Council won't realize that." Worthington sighed. The Zeus had been his idea; seeing it left to rot bothered him.  
  
"Anyone could have investigated this, sir," Gray said. "There's another reason you want us to go, isn't there?"  
  
General Worthington smiled grimly. "There is a colonel who is heading up there as we speak trying to solve this. However, he can't unseal the control room doors without the proper code, which only I have. I can't just transmit the code to him, and he wants it to arrive safely, with someone I trust completely. He's… a little paranoid," the general said ruefully. He gazed off into the distance for a moment before refocusing his attention on the team. "I want you to up there, deliver the code to the colonel, and find out what you can about why the cannon was fired. I've assigned you the best tech available, and I'm confidant you have the skills to solve this. Your shuttle leaves in three hours; be ready."  
  
Recognizing the dismissal, the squad rose and saluted. As they headed towards the door, Worthington said, "One moment, Captain." Gray stayed behind as the others left to prepare.  
  
"I apologize for assigning a tech at the spur-of-the-moment. I know you still haven't recovered from Jack's loss." The general closed his eyes and pressed his hand to his forehead. "I know Corporal Fleming's record isn't… encouraging, but he is one of the best. I hope you can cope with him."  
  
"We'll do our best, sir," Gray said. "As long as he does his job, we should be fine.  
  
"Good," the general said. He was silent for awhile, and Gray wondered if he had been dismissed. He opened his mouth to speak when the general continued. "Watch the colonel," he said softly. "He's very intelligent, but young, and bitter. Try not to get on his bad side."  
  
Now Gray's curiosity was piqued. "Yes, sir," he said. He waited for the general to say more, but the older man waved a hand. "You're dismissed," he said quietly.  
  
Gray saluted and departed from the office.  
  
To Be Continued… 


	2. Celestial Fire

Disclaimer:  Don't own them.  Square does.

Author's Note:  Sorry this part is so long in coming.  Talk about a lack of motivation… And I've been busy, what with trying to get "Salvation" finished…  But I haven't forgotten all of you who want your names as cult members.  Special thanks goes out to the Great Northern Lost Moose…. I've never been accused of being a crazed psychotic killer before.  Thanks!

HEAVEN'S FALL

Part Two

Celestial Fire

_At least he's being quiet, Jane thought moodily.  She was in the shuttle with the rest of her squad, the subject of her thoughts sitting directly across from her.  Neil was fidgeting, tugging the straps around, smoothing his uniform, or toying with anything else he could get his hands on.  It was starting to get on Jane's nerves.  But at least he wasn't talking to her._

Their shuttle was in space, and Jane had to fight back the nausea their takeoff had caused.  But the Zeus Station was in sight, and they would be docking in about twenty minutes. 

It was going to be a long twenty minutes.  The captain was quietly conversing with Ryan, leaving just her and Neil.  She would not allow herself to start a conversation with him.  She wouldn't be drawn into one of the inane conversations he'd favored back in the HMA.  Or into discussions about anything else, for that matter.

Neil tugged his collar, and Jane fought back the sudden urge to scream at him to stop it.  Sure, the formal uniforms they wore in lieu of armor were uncomfortable, but did he have to play with his?  What kind of a soldier was he?

Jack would never have looked so… rumpled.  He'd have worn his uniform proudly, looking every bit the soldier.  _How, she wondered despairingly, __did we get stuck with a loser like Neil?_

As if sensing he was in her thoughts, Neil suddenly flashed her a weak grin.  "Ever been in zero G before?"

_So much for being quiet…  "No," she said shortly._

"I've had some training.  It's not so bad once you get used to it."

"You think I can't handle it?" Jane challenged.

Neil shrugged.  "A lot of women like zero gravity," he said, a glimmer in his eyes that she knew all too well.  "Don't have to worry about their weight so much."

Jane's eyes narrowed.  "Are you calling me fat?"

"I'm just saying you won't have to lie about your weight anymore."

If she hadn't been strapped into her seat, Jane would have lunged for his scrawny neck.

*    *    *

So this was the Zeus Station.  Neil slowly drifted through the shuttle's hatch, ignoring Jane's impatient growls behind him.  He gracefully pulled himself to a stop and silently thanked the zero G training that had been part of his education as a tech.  He was nearly thrown forward, however, as Jane slammed into him from behind.  If he hadn't had a firm grip on the rail, he would have gone tumbling.

Jane swore and tried to steady herself.  Gray and Ryan, ahead of them, both turned and watched Jane flail around until she got herself under control.

"I don't think zero G's my thing," she told them thickly.  Neil tried not to laugh at Jane's uncoordinated stance.  This was the first time he'd ever seen her so helpless.

"Finished?" Gray asked, a little impatiently.

Jane flushed.  Clearly, she didn't like her captain seeing her this way.  Neil suddenly remembered that this was still a new squad.  Jane probably didn't want to seem like a fool in front of people she barely knew.  She'd been that way at the HMA.

Neil took her arm.  "C'mon, it's not so bad-"

She yanked herself away from him, and barely caught the bar in time to keep from flying backwards.  "I can do this," she spat, her face white.

Neil shrugged and turned to Gray.  "I'm ready when you are, Captain.  Let's go see the colonel."

Gray nodded, leading the way forward with minimal difficulty.  Ryan followed with the casual grace he seemed to do everything with, and Neil was close behind.  Jane, he noticed whenever he snuck a backwards glance, was keeping up, but just barely.

They met up with a soldier at one of the lift tubes, who informed them he was taking them straight to the sealed control room.  The colonel didn't want to wait.

"Watch it," the soldier advised.  "The colonel isn't adapting well to zero gravity very well and he's…"  The soldier seemed at a loss for a polite word.

"Grouchy?" Ryan suggested.

"Close enough," the soldier said, leading them out of the tube and down a dimly lit corridor.

"They keep life support at a minimum here?" he asked, suddenly wishing for full body armor rather than the lighter Deep Eyes uniform.

"Of course," the soldier said.  "No one comes down here except on cursory maintenance checks."

"Or to illegally fire a weapon of mass destruction," Neil added.

There was a group f soldiers clustered around a large metal door ahead of them.  Gray passed straight through them, going to the man who was obviously their leader.

The colonel, Neil realized, and his hand snapped up in a salute.

The man's gaze passed over them, not really seeing them.  He didn't return their salute, but kept his hands curled tightly around the bar by the door.  _Jane's not the only one…_

"Captain Edwards," the man said finally.  "I am Colonel Hein.  You have the codes?"

Gray handed over a small disk.  "Right here, sir."

Neil studied the colonel as he waited for the man to retrieve the codes from the disk.  He was pale, with short raven hair and icy blue eyes.  Neil thought he looked like a vampire.  His uniform was crisp and new, if a little rumpled from travel. He looked rather… sinister.  Neil was glad he didn't have to work with this man for very long.  There was something in his face that Neil didn't like.

With a hiss, the control room doors slid open.  Most of the way.  One of them jammed before completely sliding in.  The colonel glared as if were meant as a personal affront, then slowly entered the room.  Everyone else followed.  Neil almost launched himself over everyone, so eager was he for the first glimpse of the failed cannon.

It was nearly pitch black, except for a bank of monitors on the floor below them.  Hein barked an order, and the soldiers spread out and began to bring the control room to life.  "Be careful not to disrupt any evidence," Hein warned.

Then the colonel turned to the Deep Eyes squad.  "Your tech can start work at the terminals down there," Hein gestured towards the booted computers with one gloved hand.  "I want the rest of you to figure out how our culprit got in here."

Neil grinned and, rather than taking the ladder down, he leaped over the railing and drifted the distance down.  Jane gave a groan of dismay, and he thought he heard Hein's disapproving snort as well.

He went to work on the nearest terminal just as the lights flared on.  He was rather horrified to note that the area just shy of where he'd landed was open, with live wires dangerously left uncovered.  If he'd landed in that…

Well, what's done was done.  He quickly examined the screen in front of him, bringing up the last program it had run.  "At least whoever did this knew what they were doing," Neil said.

"What do you mean?"  The colonel was right behind him now, Gray at his side.

"Right here," Neil ran his fingers over the luminescent rows of commands, "he's activating the retrorockets so the recoil wouldn't send the station out of orbit."

"Most of them," Hein corrected.  "That's how our culprit escaped; he was the only one who was prepared for the firing and wasn't knocked off his feet.  We assume he used the ensuing chaos to reach the shuttle bay and launch."

"Have you begun looking in to who it was and how he got here?  How he knew how to get into the control room?  Or how-"  Gray was cut off by an impatient wave of Hein's hand, which Neil saw out of the corner of his eye.

"Don't worry, Captain," the man said coldly.  "This is my investigation, and I know how to run it."  Neil thought he felt the room temperature drop several degrees.  "As it happens, these aren't all my men.  I have two of my best squads questioning staff and examining records."

"I apologize, sir," Gray said stiffly.  "General Worthington sent me up here to investigate.  I didn't intend to imply you weren't doing your job."

_Captain doesn't like this guy, Neil thought with amusement.  He barely knew Captain Edwards, but he'd gotten the impression the man was well liked.  A good leader didn't let personal dislikes get in the way of his or her job.  But this… __I hope the Captain gets along with General Ryder…_

"Find anything else?" Hein asked, ignoring Gray.

Neil nodded.   "You can see where he's started priming the ovo-generators on this terminal," Neil gestured to the one in front of him, which he'd shifted over to while Gray was speaking.  "It's all very professionally done; there's no trial and error here.  This guy knew what he was doing."

"But I don't see how he could fire."  This was from one of Hein's men, who had seated himself at another console.  "Without the firing codes, he's completely locked out of the system.  According to this, there's no way he could fire."

Neil pursed his lips, tongue poking from the corner of his mouth as he concentrated.  He began to dig deeper into the Zeus's inner workings.

"Sir," Jane said, gently drifting up next to them.  She seemed to have gotten used to zero G, Neil noticed.  At least, she was handling it better than before.  "We think we found how he got in."  Jane didn't flinch as Hein suddenly turned his full attention to her – _That's my girl! – and continued, "The maintenance ducts.  This place isn't finished, so there are a ton of crawl spaces where he could get in and out that aren't on the blueprints."_

"Then why bother to seal the door?" Hein muttered.  "Idiots."

Jane faltered at the superior officer's cold manner.  "We're not sure which one he came in-"

"That doesn't matter now," Hein interrupted.  "Now what I want to know is:  How did he fire the cannon?"

"Easy," Neil grinned, looking up from the diagram on the computer before him.  "He used the manual override."

*    *    *

_Showoff, Jane thought, watching Neil pull himself through the tubes that lead into the cannon's heart.  He moved with an easy confidence, as if he knew the Zeus like the back of his hand, rather than having only seen the schematics.  He'd been much the same at Houston Military Academy.  __Some things never change…_

Neil led them unerringly to a small side door, nearly hidden in the shadowy corridors.  "This should be it," he said, after glancing at the datapad in his hand.

The door slid open at a touch, and the squad, the colonel, and a few of his men pushed their way into the small area.  "You can fire the cannon from here?" Hein said skeptically.  "Why?"

Neil glanced again at the data as he drifted to the firing platform.  "According to the files I found, it was supposed to be temporary until the real controls were up and running, so they could test the cannon before waiting for construction to be completed."  Neil shrugged.  "Guess they cut the funding before shutting this down."

Hein grunted.  "Is it easier to get around the codes and fire from here?"

Neil read the words that were too small for Jane to see from her vantage point.  However, she didn't miss the widening of his eyes.  "Sir, you wouldn't need the codes at all from here!  This," he gestured towards the panel before them, isn't even tied in to the computers!  So if something went wrong and the computers tried to shut everything down…"  Neil didn't finish.  "You'd only get off about two or three shots from here, though."

"It's easy to fire?" Hein wondered.

Jane groaned inwardly as Neil, rather than answer the question like a normal person, decided to demonstrate.  The process was very simple.  "All I have to do is press the button now, and the cannon would fire," Neil grinned.

"You _armed it?" Gray said, incredulous._

"The cannon was already primed to fire," Neil said, withering under the captain's glare.  "I was just demonstrating – "

"Thank you, Corporal," Hein said tonelessly.  "That was… helpful."  There was a look in the colonel's shrouded eyes that Jane didn't like.  "Now disarm it before your finger slips."

Jane waited for Neil to crack "I wouldn't do that!" and pretend to slip up and press the button.  Instead, he did what was asked of him_.  Maybe there's hope for him yet…  The Neil I remember wouldn't have passed up the opportunity to wreak a little havoc._

The Neil she remembered…  Jane scowled.  Events at the HMA had been a thing of the past.  It was nothing like what she'd shared with Jack, she told herself.

She watched as Neil shut down the cannon's secondary firing panel, noting how professional he seemed.  _Almost like Jack, she realized with some astonishment.  __Maybe Neil has __finally grown up._

Maybe he didn't do any more foolish things that made her feel she had to protect him….

"You and your men have been very useful," Hein said, as if the admission pained him.  "You are dismissed until 1800, when I expect you all in the board room."

"Yes, sir," the Deep Eyes all saluted, which Hein again failed to return.  _How arrogant, Jane thought.  The squad drifted out, moving hurriedly away from the colonel and his men._

"Creepy guy," Neil said.  Jane silently agreed.

"Why did you arm the cannon, Corporal?" Gray asked grimly.  He sounded angrier than Jane had ever heard him.  Neil had always had that affect on people.

"If I had just told him how easy it was, do you think the colonel would have believed me?" Neil asked.  "Besides," he said, a little sheepishly, "I wasn't sure the cannon could still be fired that way, and that was the only way to check.  I'd have looked really dumb if the manual override had been shut down, but we based all our investigations on the assumption it wasn't."

Gray only grunted, and Jane hid a grin.  Neil was working his magic on the captain already.  Jack would never have antagonized him… Jane's smile faded.  Jack… How she missed him!  The tech hadn't been a clumsy, naïve lover…  When he'd held her in his arms, he'd known what he was doing.  He'd made her feel safe.  She'd never felt that with anyone else.  She glanced over at Neil, feeling slightly guilty about her thoughts.  But they were true…

"So, what kinda grub do they serve?" Neil wondered aloud as they neared the cafeteria.  "Space food?  Anyone here ever eat in zero G before?"

Gray and Ryan ignored him, heading towards a couple of the colonel's officers.  That was just wonderful…  They were leaving her alone with Neil!

"It's actually really fun," Neil grinned.  "You have to catch things with your mouth before they drift away and clog the ventilation ducts."

Oh, now there was a nightmare Jane didn't need.  Dying of asphyxiation because Neil's big mouth couldn't catch his tofu burger.  "Joy," Jane muttered.

"If you think that's fun, wait'll you use the bathroom."  Neil's smile was mischievous.  "Flushing could suck you out into space."

Aw, damn…  She really wished he hadn't mentioned that.  Now she needed to used the facilities… "Neil?  Shut up, or I'll used you to clog up any holes so I won't flush myself out."

Neil gave her a cheeky grin, then bounced away_.  How, she wondered, __did I ever tolerate him?_

_How could I have…?  She couldn't even complete the thought to herself._

*    *    *

_She wasn't here…  Gray wasn't sure if he was relieved or disappointed.  After all, Aki had __left him…  He didn't know how he'd react if he saw her again.  He'd never had anyone hurt him that way before._

"Hey, Captain," Ryan said, coming up behind him.  "Where were you?  It's almost time to meet the colonel."

Gray smiled thinly.  Yet another face from his past…  "I know.  I was just talking to the scientists."  _You just missed her, they'd said__.  She and Dr. Sid left on an important mission.  Beyond that, they would say no more.  He'd left a message for her, though, and wondered if she'd answer.  "Let's go," Gray said, putting thoughts of Aki out of his mind._

Ryan seemed to sense something was bothering him, but he didn't ask any questions.  In the short time they'd worked together, they'd become close friends.  Ryan knew when not to disturb his captain.

"So, what do you think of our new tech?" Gray asked, eager to change the subject.

"He knows his stuff," Ryan admitted.  "He doesn't seem to have much common sense, though."  A thought struck him.  "Or, he's showing off to impress Jane."

"To impress Jane?"  Gray raised his eyebrows.

"I think he's trying to prove something to her.  Did you notice how antagonistic they are towards each other?"

Gray snorted.  "I'd have to be blind not to.  But Jane implied they'd never gotten along.  And it must be worse now that she's lost Jack, and Neil is replacing him for now."

"I think that is part of it," Ryan agreed.  "But I think they're former lovers."

That brought Gray up short.  "What?" He couldn't imagine stolid Jane with someone like Neil. Then again, they said opposites attract, and it would explain a lot.

"I think they parted on bad terms, too.  I mean, look at them."  They had just entered the galley, where Jane and Neil were sitting at opposite ends of the room.  Ryan arched his brows.

"That could make this difficult," Gray murmured.  "I'll be glad when this is over with."

Neil and Jane got to their feet as Gray approached; Neil with the skill of someone accustomed to zero G and Jane barely able to keep her feet on the ground.

"It's time," Gray announced.  He led the way to the boardroom, relieved that Neil and Jane were behaving.  He'd known Jane to have a venomous tongue, but he'd never seen her act this way before.  _Maybe Ryan's right…_

The colonel's men were waiting, but Hein himself wasn't in sight.  _Of course… he has to make an entrance.  He hasn't changed…_

"Whoa," Neil muttered from behind as the door slid open again.  "Check out Darth Vader."  Gray didn't understand the archaic reference, but he got the gist of what the tech meant.

Colonel Hein swept in, clad entirely in black, long coat flaring out behind him.  His slightly jerky movements from the zero G went almost unnoticed as Gray took in his decidedly un-military uniform.  _Then again, maybe he has __changed…_

"I imagine you're as eager to leave as I am, so I will make this brief," Hein said, dismissing the salutes with a vague wave.  "We have two suspects, a scientist and her companion, who she claimed was her brother.  They arrived aboard yesterday at 1300 hours, and they haven't been seen since the cannon fired.  The man is ex-military, we believe, but hasn't yet been identified.  The woman claimed to be one Dr. Joanne Powell."  Hein paused as if expecting them to react.  When they didn't, he scowled.  "She was one of the Zeus's original designers."

"That explains a lot," Gray said.  "That's how our culprit knew what he was doing.  But, why?"

"That, we don't know.  But what we have found out is that the labs were broken into when the cannon was fired.  Someone used the opportunity to copy several restricted files."

"The man fired the cannon while Dr. Powell hit the labs," Gray reiterated.  "Was the cannon fired as a distraction?"

Hein shrugged.  "There would be better ways of doing it that wouldn't be quite so drastic.  But it seems what they planned from the start; we have a conversation on tape where the man refers to 'celestial fire.'  I'll send a copy to General Worthington who, I believe, wants you to report back at once."

That sounded like a dismissal to Gray.  He turned to leave, waiting to see if Hein would call him back.  

"I do believe he's kicking us off the cannon," Neil said when they were out of earshot.

"I wouldn't want you that close, either," Jane retorted.

Gray sighed.  It was going to be a long trip back to New York.

*    *    *

Two days later, General Worthington called Gray's Deep Eyes squad to his office.  The three gathered quickly and entered as one.

_We work well together…  Why add another member to ruin it all?  Jane thought smugly.  Worthington had reassigned Neil upon their return._

"We've made some headway in our investigation," Worthington started.  "The woman, as you know, is Dr. Joanne Powell.  She's a scientist, and she did work on the Zeus, but she never should have been allowed to return.  She was discredited several years ago and dropped out of the scientific community."

The trio remained silent, saving their questions for afterwards.  Worthington hesitated, glancing towards the door, then continued.  "The man was identified as Alan Gibson.  He was posted in San Francisco, and had a promising military career until a mission that went wrong.  He seemed to lose his drive after that and quit the military."

"Why would they work together?  Why fire the Zeus?" Gray wondered.

General Worthington's face was bemused.  He set a file before them, opening it to reveal several photos.  "We had them tracked.  Both Gibson and Powell are members of a religious cult."

Jane blinked in disbelief.  "A cult?"

"Heaven's Reach, they call it.  They're based in Seattle, and seem to have quite a following."

The door behind them opened, and Neil walked in.  He saluted, and General Worthington returned it.  "I've got three tickets reserved, sir," he said.

"You three are going on a little trip," Worthington said.  "I need someone I trust to investigate.  Colonel Hein was all for charging in and arresting them all, but I want to know what's going on before doing anything rash."

Neil hovered about uncertainly, then began to examine the pictures when he wasn't dismissed and no one seemed to be paying attention to him.

"And how do you want us to do that?  I doubt they'll believe we want to join them," Gray said.  Jane had to agree; there was no way she would be able to pull off pretending to be a cult member.  Maybe Ryan could, but she or the captain?

"Hey!" Neil said suddenly, tapping one of the pictures.  Everyone started, having forgotten he was there.  "I know this girl!  I used to date her!"  Neil blushed when he suddenly realized what he'd just interrupted.  "Uh, sorry…"

Now everyone was staring at him.  "Corporal," General Worthington said calmly, "how do you feel about joining a cult?"

To Be Continued….


	3. Heaven's Reach

Disclaimer:  I don't own any of the Square characters or real-life people portrayed within.

Author's Note:  Why on earth is this one taking me so long?!  I have no idea.  Argh, it's not like I don't know what I have planned… It's like I just have no ambition to write it, which isn't fair.  I'm trying to get it done!  And I still don't like this chapter much....  It's way too rushed. Oh well.  I may someday rewrite it, if I think of a better way to do it.  There's only one more part after this.  This, by the way, is the chapter where I finally link it to "Life's River Shall Rise."  And anyone who wasn't mentioned in this story and wants their name used as a minor character, speak up now or forever hold your peace.  

Heh, heh…  To all of you who appear in this, I hope you like your roles…  Remember, you're not _supposed _to be in character. I'm just borrowing your names!  With your permission!

HEAVEN'S FALL

Part Three

Heaven's Reach

_How do I get myself into these things?_  Neil barely refrained from wailing out loud, the knowledge of his fellow passengers keeping him quiet.  Here he was, in one of the phenomenally expensive orbital planes on his way to Seattle, with a trio of very professional, very cold-mannered, soldiers who hated his guts.  Well, he got along with Ryan okay, and Gray seemed to tolerate him, but Jane had made certain to sit as far from him as possible.  It was as if the woman didn't want to acknowledge his existence.

Fine.  Two could play at that game.  It wasn't like they'd be in contact much, anyway, once they reached Seattle and Neil joined a cult.

A cult.  What was he getting into?  General Worthington had tried to assure him that the cult didn't indulge in anything like human sacrifice or ritual castration, but that was no comfort to him.  Why him?  He'd had to blab that he'd dated Marie, who was apparently a high priestess or something.  _Yeah, boast about your conquests, try to make yourself look good to Jane… see where it gets you?_

Neil sighed and burrowed into his plush seat.  Next to him, Ryan shot him a look as one elbow accidentally nailed the sergeant in his ribs_.  Sure, it seems like a simple enough mission… _All he had to do was join, ask a few questions, report to Captain Edwards, then leave.  The Heaven's Reach cult was a laid-back bunch, intelligence reported, and Neil was free to come and go as he pleased.

But… if they were so harmless, why sneak aboard the Zeus?  Why fire it?  Why break into the labs?  General Worthington thought the cult may be a cover for something else, something much more dangerous, which was why the Deep Eyes were along for the ride.

_Maybe I should be flattered…  General Ryder would never have sent me on a mission like this…_ _Heck, _no one's _ever sent me on a mission like this.  _This could be a turning point in his career, really.  Or the biggest disaster he'd ever faced.  And Jane would have a front seat to his downfall.

Well, he just wouldn't screw up, would he?

*    *    *

Jane dreamt of Jack, seeing his bland, but handsome, face with its dark blue eyes and close-cropped brown hair.  She could see his shy, gentle smile, the gleam in his eye when faced with a new technical challenge, the seriousness when he fought for their lives...  His movements had blended so well with hers, it had been as if they were one being in battle.  She imagined tasting his kiss on the first night when he'd confessed his feelings for her, after their first real victory as a team.

Now... now she'd never see him again.  She'd known him for such a short time, yet it had felt like forever. _ This man,_ she'd thought, _is the man I'm going to spend my life with.  _It wasn't like one of those childish flings she'd had in her teenage years.  And it was far more meaningful to her than her years at the Houston Military Academy... right?

She thought she'd never see Neil again.  Hell, after the events of her final years at HMA, she'd thought he'd give up on the military.  His future had seemed very grim.  She'd put him out of her mind, refusing to acknowledge, even to herself, that she'd ever had anything to do with Neil.

Why did the past have to come back and haunt her?  And the sad, cruel irony of it was that, if Jack hadn't died, she'd never have to face Neil.  She lost her one real love, and was now being punished by the return of a mistake.

She shifted angrily in the narrow plane seat, drawing the captain's glance, but she kept her eyes firmly shut and faced her inner turmoil as she would a Phantom.  Boldly, with emotional detachment.

_I don't love Neil.  What happened between us was a mistake.  When this is over, I'll never see him again.  And until this ends, I don't even have to be nice to him._

_This will be over soon, _she consoled herself.  Then she could go back to being alone again.

*    *    *

Neil was stalling, and they all knew it.  He kept making excuses to everyone about why he couldn't leave just yet, and he knew the captain was getting impatient with him.  But he was nervous... who wouldn't be?  He was going to be alone, with a crazy ex-girlfriend who he was suddenly certain hated him for their break-up...

_Ugh.  They're counting on me to go out and make contact with Marie.  That's not hard...  And it's not like I'm going to be living in some rustic shack in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of religious zealots.  It's just a couple of meetings, a little snooping in their computer systems, and I'll be done._

So why was he nervous?  Was it because this was his first solo mission?  The first with a squad of strangers as his backup?  Or... was it because Jane was along, and she looked like she wanted him to fail?

_If you don't get your butt in gear, then you _will _fail, _he scolded himself.  He sighed.  _I should just get this over with._

Neil grabbed the datapad setting on his nightstand, again going through the information he'd familiarized himself with on the plane.  Marie, as one of the "priestesses" of the cult, had her address listed on the flyer one of the early surveillance teams had picked up for them.  All he had to do was go to her apartment and ask to be part of the group.  No big deal, right?

Assuming, of course, Marie didn't hold a grudge as long as Jane...

There was a knock on the door, and Gray entered at Neil's invitation.  The captain didn't seat himself, instead looming over Neil and studying the corporal.  Neil wished he wouldn't do that.

"Nervous?" Gray asked suddenly.  Neil looked up from the datapad in surprise.  He'd thought he was going to get a lecture.

"Nah... I do this all the time."  Gray gave him a stern look, and Neil relented.  "Yes, I'm nervous.  When I joined the USMF, I never expected anything like this.  I mean, I'm going undercover and skulking around.  I feel like a secret agent or something."

Gray's eyebrow twitched.  "And that's bad?"

"Secret agents don't live long, sir," Neil pointed out.

"Neither do soldiers."  Now Gray sat, on the bed beside Neil.  "Corporal, I need to know:  Can you do it?  I need to know now, before we go through with this.  If you don't feel up to this..."

Neil swallowed audibly.  So now they were questioning his courage...  _And I don't blame him!  I haven't done much to prove I'm good at anything.  _"It'll be difficult," Neil admitted honestly.  "But I think I can pull it off, if I'm careful."

"That's what I thought," Gray said.

Neil blinked.  "Sir?"

Gray quirked his eyebrows.  "I've seen your file, Corporal.  With as much mischief as you've caused, something like this should be right up your alley."

"Oh," Neil said weakly.  "Er, not everything they say about me is true, you know," he added for good measure.

Gray ignored him.  "Why are you so nervous, then?  Is it because of Corporal Proudfoot?"

Neil gulped.  Discussing his past with a complete stranger wasn't something he was prepared to do.

"I'm sorry to have to pry," the captain continued, "But so far, your performance hasn't impressed me.  Your file implies better of you.  Is _that _one of the things that's not true?"

_I gotta see what my file says...  _"I'm sorry, sir," Neil said miserably.

"Don't let Jane get to you," Gray said, the sternness fading from his voice.  "I know she's sharp-tongued and cruel at times, but her opinion isn't what matters.  General Worthington has confidence in you."

"He does, sir?"  Neil barely knew the general, and he wouldn't get the chance with Worthington retiring soon, so he supposed the man's opinion didn't matter all that much, either.  _Ryder would never trust me with this.  But... it feels good to be trusted._

"Will you do it?"  Gray asked.

"Just let me get ready.  I'll be out of here in an hour."

*    *    *

With great trepidation, Neil knocked on Marie Nelson's door.  He wondered if she remembered him, crossing his fingers in the hope she did.

Then again, considering the circumstances under which they'd parted, maybe it was better if she didn't.

The door in front of him slid open, revealing a tall, dark-haired woman with narrow hazel eyes.  "Can I help - " she began, then recognition sprang to her eyes.  "You!" she cried, slapping him across the face.

Neil staggered backward, grabbing his nose.  "Hey, Marie," he said thickly, "I see you remember me."

"Remember you?" she sputtered.  "How could I forget?  When I think of all the therapy I went through after our break up..."

"Um..." Neil couldn't think of a response to that.  But... hadn't she been going through therapy anyway?  Why had she decided to pin it on him?  His heart sank a little lower as he realized this assignment was going to be harder than he'd thought.

"If you've come crawling back to me, forget it!"  Marie looked as if she wanted to slam the door in his face, but that option was gone with the invention of the sliding panel doors.  Probably a good thing, since Neil's bleeding nose was right in the way.

"Actually, that thought hadn't crossed my mind," Neil replied honestly.

Marie suddenly looked offended.  "Why not?" she demanded.  "Aren't I good enough for you?"

Ah.  Now Neil was starting to remember why he'd stopped dating this woman.  "Actually, I wanted to join Heaven's Reach," he said quickly.

The woman's whole demeanor changed.  "Why didn't you say so?" she asked.  She smiled, a genuinely warm expression, and Neil got the feeling she took this priestess business very seriously.  "We'll be glad to have you.  But... why would _you _want to join?"

Neil desperately struggled to recall what he'd read in the brochure.  What would make the cult appeal to him?  "I'm sick of it all," he said, and was surprised to hear a ring of truth in his voice.  "All the fighting... the death...  Heaven's Reach promises something better, right?  If that's true, I want in on it."

She eyed him skeptically.  "That doesn't sound like you, Neil.  Let me guess:  Your military career didn't work, did it?  And now you don't have a job or anywhere else to go, right?"

Neil blinked.  _Where did she pull that from?  Must be the most popular reason for joining._

"We get that a lot," she confirmed.  "But we aren't a club for losers."

Was she going to turn him down?

"Maybe you're using this as an escape, but after your first meeting, you'll see that we're much, much more.  Our next meeting is tonight, in about four hours.  Directions to our meeting center are on this brochure," she handed him one of the pamphlets he'd received earlier, " and if you come early, I'll introduce you to everyone."

"Okay."  Neil couldn't think of anything else to say.  "I'll be there."

"And Neil?  You'd better not be using this as a ploy to get my attention."  She scowled at him fiercely, then shut the door in his face.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Neil muttered.

*    *    *

"She remembered you," Jane said with amusement.  Her eyes danced as she took in Neil's bandaged nosed and still-red face.

"Yup."

"And now she won't let you join Heaven's Reach."  Jane grimaced as she realized this whole trip had been a waste.  What a surprise, Neil had managed to bungle everything before it had begun.  She could have told the captain that; had told him, actually, but had he listened?

"Nope."  There was a hint of triumph in Neil's voice.  "The next meeting's in two hours.  I just didn't want to give Marie the pleasure of my company until then."

"So you decided to inflict yourself upon us?"  Jane tried to cover her surprise.  _I'll be damned...  he did it!  He's a member!  Not that it takes much effort to say "I want to join your cult."  If he can keep up this act, then I'll be impressed._

"You didn't used to mind," Neil said bitterly.  His comment threw her off.  She'd been expecting a snappy comeback, and had readied one of her own.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

"Look, I know you don't want me here.  You've made that perfectly clear, and even the rest of your team can see it.  But this is my first solo mission and I'm under a lot of stress, so I'd appreciate it if you'd just lay off me, okay?"  The look he gave her was dead serious, and she was taken aback.

_When he isn't goofing off, he's a lot like Jack... Could I have fallen for Jack because of his resemblance to Neil?_

Jane bristled at the thought.  _Jack was _nothing _like Neil!_

"All right," Jane said tightly.  "Your presence here is hard on us both.  Maybe it would be better if we both just kept away from each other."

"Deal," Neil said.

Jane stalked off angrily.  _Why the hell does he always make me so upset?_

*    *    *

The meeting was held in a large community center.  The rooms had been reserved ahead of time, and apparently the cult members were a reliable enough group that there was no problem with them getting the reservation.

That was reassuring.  Sort of.  On the one hand, it meant this wasn't a group of out-of-control nutcases.  On the other hand, it meant there were no computer files to hack into.

Neil studied the other cultists carefully as Marie led him on a whirlwind of introductions.  He picked up names like Lisa Troy, Bobbi-Rae Wells, Ashley Tenant, Liam Sherriff, Ross Grant, David McKae, and Heather Forbes before Marie pulled him to the second of their reserved rooms, the largest one where the high priest was going to speak with them.  All in all, they seemed like normal people.  There were bored housewives, laid-off employees, teenagers out to do something daring, whole families and singles who had probably lost theirs and needed companionship.  Heaven's Reach seemed more like a big club than a cult.

He said as much to Marie, who nodded.  Neil noticed that, in this atmosphere in her role as a priestess, she seemed much more serious, and calmer.  He was starting to like this cult.  Now if he could just drag Jane here...

"Yes, we aren't what most people expect," Marie said, wrinkling her nose disdainfully.  "People come to us for the sense of belonging, and the chance for something better.  It's a cruel world out there, and they can forget that here."

"You still giving people that spiel?" a young woman interjected.  Marie sighed and rolled her eyes.  "You're going to scare people away with all this mushy bull.  Now..." Her eyes sparkled, and something about the look chilled Neil.  "If _I _ran this cult, it'd really be interesting."

"Don't mind Kat," Marie said, beginning to pull Neil away.  "She's... British," she added, as if that were an insult.  "If we made her a priestess like she wanted, she'd make all the male members become eunuchs."

Neil paled.  "Oh..."  was all he could manage.  The fact that they _had _considered castration almost destroyed his self-control.

"You may as well be, anyway," another woman said.  She was sitting next to Kat, and had a much saner look on her face.  "What with the scanners and all."

"Scanners?"  Neil repeated blankly.  "What about them?"

"That's Amy," Marie said, releasing Neil's arm to let him listen.  "She's a scan tech."

"There are new studies," Amy continued, "that say the scanners cause sterility after too much exposure.  I feel sorry for all those men and women in the military who go through it so often."

_I didn't need to hear that...  How many times have I been scanned in the past week?  Three?  _Neil made a weak eeping noise.

"It hasn't been proven yet," Amy added.  "But when you think about it, how many soldiers have families?"

"Don't worry, Neil," Marie said, checking her watch.  "Someone like you shouldn't breed, anyway.  It's time for you to find a seat; Alan's going to be here in a few minutes."

Before Neil had time to take offense, Marie had pushed him into a seat.  "That's Danielle," she said, pointing to the cultist next to him.  "She doesn't talk much, but she's really nice.  Enjoy the meeting."  With that, Marie turned away.

Other members began to filter in, taking seats in the available chairs or on the floor if needed.  Seeing them all in one room stunned Neil; there must have been over three hundred members!

Neil strained his ears, listening to the babble of conversation for any mention of the firing of the Zeus, or of "celestial fire" caused by an act of God.  He heard nothing...  It was as if it hadn't happened.

When a hush fell over the room, Neil jerked his head towards the podium.  A man was making his way towards it, and Neil felt a surge of excitement.  _That's Corporal Gibson, all right.  So this isn't just some sick joke after all._

Neil found he was slightly disappointed by the corporal, though.  A part of him had been expecting a flamboyantly dressed fanatic making a dramatic entrance to the tune of enthusiastically sung gospel.  Instead, Gibson looked like a perfectly normal man in his mid-thirties, casually dressed and with nothing to distinguish him from the other cultists except the reverence the others accorded him.

"Brethren," Gibson said, and dead silence fell over the room.  Neil couldn't even hear the sound of breathing, and wondered if he was required to hold his breath during the presentation.  Well, that _would _make recording it easier.  "I'm glad to see so many of you could make it today.  And I see many new faces among you, as well."  Gibson's eyes swept the crowd, and Neil thought that piercing gaze seemed to linger on him...  "In these times of turmoil, it's heartening to see so many people come together."  _If he calls for a group hug, I'm outta here.  _"With Satan's minions overrunning the planet, our faith is all that keeps us strong.  But I fear that faith is dwindling, and we lose more and more ground to the Hellspawn every day."

_So he's a religious freak - not someone who's made up their own religion.  How'd he end up in the USMF?  _Gibson continued in much the same vein.  The audience around him seemed enraptured as he spoke of the planet's current state.  Despite himself, Neil found he was fascinated by the man's point of view.  Gibson's opening words had made him sound like a zealot, but he made it perfectly clear he approved both of the military's efforts to stop the threat posed by the Phantoms, and the diligent research of the scientists.  However, he claimed that the Phantoms couldn't be defeated by mere mortals alone.

_Odd...  I would have thought he'd see the Phantoms as a test of faith or a punishment from God.  But he's more of a soldier than I thought...  He realizes you can't just leave everything up to God to handle.  _If that was what Gibson preached, then the gathered cultists likely believed it as well.  They wouldn't be led to believe a blast from the Zeus was truly an "act of God."  That made Gibson's motives even harder to fathom.  _And where does Dr. Powell fit in?  I don't see her here..._

It was Gibson's final words, however, that truly puzzled Neil.  "Heaven has fallen, and it is up to us to restore it.  Only then will God awaken and destroy our foes!  All is not lost; Heaven is within our reach."

_Heaven has fallen... it's within our reach...  _For the first time, Neil felt a chill.  Something about those words disturbed him deeply.  _What if the Phantoms _are _soul-eating demons?  What if there's no way to stop them?_

He pressed his fingers to his forehead, fighting back a sudden headache.  It all made a twisted sort of sense, but that was no reason for anyone to believe all this.  _Heaven has fallen...  _On the other hand, he could see how such a terrifying prospect could draw so many people towards Gibson, especially when he preached the possibility of its resurrection.

_Heaven is within our reach...  What does that mean?  _

Neil was jarred out of his thoughts as Marie took Gibson's spot on the stage.  She tossed the man an awe-filled look, which he ignored.

"I have an important announcement to make," she said, her voice carrying over the crowd.  "We are holding a special meeting tomorrow, here, at the same time.  After waiting for so long, our plans are finally coming to fruition!"  Cheers resounded through the room from all members except a few who looked as puzzled as Neil.  "Tomorrow, we will discuss the details, so be sure to alert all your fellows who are part-time members."  A rapturous look crossed her face.  "The resurrection of Heaven is at hand!"

*    *    *

"I'm afraid all we have is a bigger puzzle, sir," Gray told General Worthington the next morning.  He sighed and ran a hand through his still-damp hair, watching the general's weathered face. 

"Corporal Fleming was able to bring back a recording of Gibson's speech, but was unable to ask any questions without sounding suspicious."  He neglected to mention that that was because Neil had been unable to shake the clingy priestess he'd attended with; apparently, she'd been wary of him and had been watching him like a hawk.  "Gibson left before Fleming could speak to him or follow him, and the meeting was held in a public building, so he was unable to retrieve any computer data."

"There has been no sign of Dr. Powell?" General Worthington asked.

"None, sir."  Finding the errant scientist had been part of what he and his squad were trying to accomplish while Neil infiltrated the cult.  "We can't find her anywhere in Seattle, and there seems to be no connection between her and Gibson."

The general just grunted.

"Sir, should we arrest him now?  We know he fired the Zeus, if not why he did it.  We have enough evidence to lock him away."

"Yes...  But if we do, we may lose Dr. Powell.  Send Corporal Fleming to the next meeting and see if he can learn anything useful.  If not, then my men will do what's necessary tomorrow."  General Worthington frowned.  "The timing of this is suspicious," he mused.

"You think it has something to do with his actions aboard the Zeus?"

Worthington shrugged.  "Damned if I know how, but it's quite a coincidence, don't you think?"

"Yes, sir."  He wondered what they were sending the corporal in to.

"Contact me after the meeting, Captain.  I'll be awake."  Worthington's holographic face vanished from the screen in front of Gray.

_At least it sounds as if this is going to end soon.  This just isn't my kind of mission.  And...  I don't think I can take this anymore.  _  Jane and Neil had gone from volatile and vocal to silent and broody.  Gray could actually feel the chill at breakfast when they'd sat at opposite ends of the table, making a great show of ignoring one another.  The atmosphere had made eating quite uncomfortable.  In a way, the silence had been worse than their arguing.  He'd known Jane could be overbearing, but this was worse than usual.  He was suddenly aware of just how new his squad was, and how little he actually knew those under his command.

_Neil's certainly proving to be a test, even for me.  But he's trying, I'll give him that.  I wonder why General Ryder had so little use for him?  A this rate, Fleming will never get the chance to prove himself._

*    *    *

Another meeting.  Joy.  But if it was as important as Marie had implied, this could be the one to end his mission.  Neil felt relieved; he'd only been doing this for a day, but being in Marie's company gave him bad vibes.  And the cultists themselves freaked Neil out as well.  What were so many seemingly normal people doing with an organization like this?

Neil quickly ran through the contents of his bag one more time, checking to see that the recording device and his communicator were securely hidden.  He had tucked them away under his gym clothes, which he was bringing because he planned to arrive early at the community center to check things out before the crowd arrived, and using the gym seemed like a good excuse.

"Ready to go," he told himself.

He stopped briefly at the captain's quarters.  "This will probably be your final meeting," the captain told him.  "We've had no luck learning anything, and General Worthington wants to end this as soon as possible.  Try to find out what you can tonight; tomorrow, we're going to arrest Gibson."

"Just like that?  Sir, I feel useless.  If you're arresting him, what's the point of sending me to this meeting?  Why even have me along to join in the first place?"  It seemed Neil's usefulness had been illusory, and he slumped.  _So much for showing the world what I can do._

"This surprised me, too," the captain said.  "I think the Council is pressuring the general to end this now."  His eyes narrowed.  "Or Colonel Hein is.  This is making _him _look bad."  Then the captain shrugged.  "Anyway, we still know nothing about why the Zeus was fired, or why Dr. Powell was along to break into the labs.  Gibson may be more forthcoming with a cultist than an interrogator.  _If _you can find a subtle way to ask," the captain warned.

"I'll do what I can, sir," Neil said.  This still felt like busywork…

After that, he caught a cab to the community center.  Changing into his gym clothes, he began his job by casually flirting with one of the aerobics instructors before asking what she knew about the cult.  That began a seemingly endless stream of questioning various staff around the center who knew nothing about the cult except that they "seemed like a nice bunch."

A half hour before the meeting, Neil was ready to scream in frustration.  Didn't _anybody _know _anything? _ Angrily, Neil readied himself for the meeting.  _Corporal Gibson, you'd better be prepared to tell _all _tonight.  Villains are so much more vocal about their plans in the movies…  James Bond never had this much trouble!_

Still grumbling, Neil took a seat in the rapidly filling meeting room.  Marie was already there, he noticed, and there was a feverish gleam in her eyes.  Looking around, he noticed similar expressions on the faces of other members.  It was the first hint of fanaticism Neil had seen in the bunch.  _What do they know that I don't?_

It was Marie who took center stage when she judged all the members had arrived.  "Members of Heaven's Reach," she said, a little breathlessly.  "The time has come for us to take part in the war against Hell on earth.  Father Gibson has gone ahead to make certain everything is ready.  Tonight, we will depart for our sanctuary and began a time of prayer.  In three days time, we will awaken Heaven!"

"What?" Neil yelped.  His cry was lost in the cheers of long-time members, and the confusion of the newer ones.

"I realize many of you are new, and have no idea what is about to happen.  If you choose to stay behind, it will not be held against you.  We will be leaving tonight, in one hour.  If any of you wish to get anything or make any calls, now is the time to do so."

This is going too fast…  Gibson's gone, and I'll never get back to the hotel in time to report to the others!  I can't go on this… can I?  If I don't, I might lose our last leads!

Neil shoved his way through the crowd, noticing there was nearly double the number there had been the previous night.  _There must be over five hundred people here!  What's going on?_

He forced his way towards Marie, who smiled at him with that frighteningly wide smile.  "You came," she said.  "Are you going to accompany us?"

"Where?" he asked.  "To do what?"

For a flash, the old Marie was back.  "Haven't you been listening?" she hissed.  Then she smiled again.  "This is what we've been waiting for.  This is your chance for something better."

_Oh, God… They've built a spaceship and are taking us all to planet  Blisstonia…  _"So we're just leaving?  Right now?"

Marie nodded.  "Father Gibson has been waiting so long, and now all is finally ready.  I'm pleased so many people are going; even many of the part-time members came with their bags packed."

"You didn't give me much notice," Neil muttered, turning away.  What could he do?  He headed outside, away from the crowd, and dug his communicator free from his sweaty gym shorts.  

"Captain Edwards?  We have a problem," Neil said without preamble.

"What is it, Corporal?"

"The cult is packing up and moving out.  Whatever they have planned has just been set into motion.  In about half an hour, the entire group is being taken somewhere – Marie didn't say where, but most of the members already knew about it.  And Corporal Gibson's already there."

"Damn," Gray said, his anger evident even in the small three-inch screen.  "Did they say anything useful?"

"Only the bit about Heaven's resurrection.  I'm going to leave the recording at the reception desk here for you to pick up."

"You're going with them?  Corporal, I can't let you do that," Gray objected.

"If I don't, we could lose the cult," Neil said.  "They don't sound like they intend to come back."

"Which is why I can't let you go!" Gray said angrily.  "Corporal – "

"I'll contact you as soon as possible.  Don't worry, sir, I don't intend to do anything stupid."  _Except follow a cult led by an obsessed military man to God-knows-where.  _"I can do this, sir.  Trust me."

Gray grimaced.  "I don't think I can get there in time to stop you, so it seems I have no choice."  The dark look on his face promised trouble when Neil returned.  "But you're right; this may be the only way if we want to end this now.  Good luck."

"Thank you, Captain," Neil said, turning off his communicator.

_What am I getting myself into? _Neil wondered as he dropped the recording off at the desk.  _I don't even have a real change of clothes!  Just my sweaty gym shorts!  And there's no way I'm going to meet Heaven in those.  I'd be turned away at the pearly gates…_

"Wish I had my gun," Neil grumbled to himself as he re-entered the main meeting room.  "This sucks."

Several of the mystified newer members had left, but the bulk of the cultists had remained.  When the time for departure rolled around, there were still over four hundred members.

"Anyone who has a vehicle, we'd appreciate it if you could take as many members as possible.  For the rest of us, there are buses that have been rented for our purpose."  Marie had taken command of everyone's attention again.  "We're meeting at the Sector 13 hangar.  I'll see you all there."

_So we _are _leaving the city, then.  If it's some ramshackle log cabin in the middle of nowhere, I'm screwed.  Especially if we have to "get back to nature" to get in touch with Heaven, or whatever.  _

Neil followed the others out of the community center, ignoring the feeling of foreboding that made him want to scream and run back to the squad.

He tried to look on the bright side.  Hey, he'd needed a vacation anyway, right?  And maybe this would impress Jane.  Maybe she'd see what an idiot she'd been and want to come back to him.

Assuming, of course, he was ritualistically sacrificed in the next few days.

*    *    *

"What an idiot!  How could he do this to us?"  Jane had been ranting for an hour after Neil's proclamation, and she could tell her teammates were getting tired of it, but she didn't care.  Neil had gone and done something foolish again, this time with no one around to protect him.

And he'd be the only one to see all the action while she was trapped in a hotel in Seattle.

"Calm down, Jane, you can kill something as soon as we get back to New York," Ryan said as Jane began her rant over again.  "That'll make you feel better, won't it?"  They were in the hotel's diner, and she was attracting a lot of attention, but she didn't care.  She got the feeling, however, that the sergeant was embarrassed. 

"I can't believe the captain's letting him go."  She flopped down onto the booth bench beside Ryan, fists clenched and jaw tight.  "He doesn't know Neil like I do."

"Why are you so certain he's going to fail?"  Ryan asked.  "He seems competent enough."

"He isn't trustworthy.  He can't go anywhere alone without causing trouble."  She scowled.

"I take it you've been his protector, then?" Ryan asked delicately.  Jane started.

"Why do you say that?" she asked warily.

"You haven't cut Neil any slack since he joined us.  You expect him to fail and ask for your help, don't you? You're far too hard on him.  I think he can handle this."  Ryan was unperturbed by the withering look Jane shot him.

"Do you?  You're far too trusting of people, you know that?"  Jane fell silent when the waitress arrived to take their order.  The captain would be arriving soon after his call to General Worthington, and Jane struggled to get herself under control before he could see her so distraught.

"He's as qualified as Jack was," Ryan said, then looked as if he wished he could take that back.

"Qualifications have nothing to do with it," Jane said, her voice tight with barely restrained anger.  "Jack had heart, and courage.  Neil…" she couldn't finish the sentence.

"What happened between you two?" Ryan probed.

"None of your business," Jane snarled as the captain arrived, taking a seat across from them.

"What's going on?" the captain asked.

"Nothing." Jane rose stiffly to her feet.  "I'm not hungry any more.  I'm going to my room."  She knew she sounded like a child throwing a temper tantrum, but she didn't care.

Damn it, how does he do this to me?  Even when Neil isn't here, he still drives me crazy!  When he gets back, I'm going to kill him!

*    *    *

Fortunately, the trip was short.  The two transports hired by the Heaven's Reach cult were filled to capacity, and then some.  Neil had found himself crushed between two members and their luggage, and he didn't think he'd been able to breath properly.  After disembarking from the transport, he stretched and drew in a great gulp of air….

….which he released with a sharp gasp at the sight that greeted him.  Neil had been vaguely aware of the uneasy murmurs of the cultists around him, but only now realized that something was very, very wrong.

Their destination was an old military base, its façade showing signs of disrepair.  The cluster of buildings that made up the base still stood solidly, and the lights gleaming through the cracked windows proved there was electricity, so there was no problem there.  That, however, had become the least of Neil's concerns.

The transports took off as soon as the last person was hastily ejected from the compartments, and Neil couldn't blame the anxious pilots; the base didn't have a functioning barrier.  The finely wrought mesh that should have been bathing everything with its distinctive lurid glow was completely dead.

His fingers twitched towards a weapon that wasn't there, and he strained his ears to listen for the moaning cries of the Phantoms.  Around him, he could hear people panicking.  Apparently, they hadn't been briefed on anything like this.

"Don't be frightened!" Marie said, her strong voice carrying over the crowd's murmurs.  "There are none of the Hellspawn in the vicinity.  The threat has been seen to."  Marie pointed upwards, and Neil and the other cultists followed her gaze.

"Oh," Neil breathed, as things suddenly began to make sense.  Above them, a massive hole had been punched through the barrier, the metal twisted inward.  This was ground zero of the shot fired from the Zeus.

To Be Continued…


	4. Final Judgement

Disclaimer:  Except for the crazy cultists, who own themselves, I don't really own the characters in the story.

Author's Note:  At last... This story is over and done with!  It's not a lot to show for a year of writing, but don't complain.  It's not the greatest, but it's done, and almost makes sense.  Kinda.   It's better than I thought, actually, though the ending is really corny. And let's see how many people can find the reference to _me _in this story!  Admittedly, it's obvious, but still...  

HEAVEN'S FALL

Part Four

Final Judgment

"This is insane.  Why did you let me do this?" Neil asked no one in particular.  His eyes never left the barren, open wastes before him.  Every movement of dust in the wind caught his eye and nearly sent him running to the nearest building.  He'd never felt so _vulnerable _before.  He hadn't realized how much he'd relied on the barriers being there until now.

In his hands, he held the small communicator he'd smuggled in with him.  Its screen was blank, except for the "No Signal" message in the corner.  It figured the base was in a dead zone.  

_Is that a Phantom?  _Neil almost jumped out of his skin as the wind blew a cloud of dust his way.  He calmed himself as he decided the dust truly was just that, and wasn't hiding a Phantom.  

Now what was he going to do?  He'd spent the last two days in prayer with the other cultists, when he wasn't eating, sleeping, or panicking.  He wasn't alone in his fears, at least; many of the cultists were having second thoughts now that they were stuck in the middle of nowhere with no protection from the "Hellspawn."

It meant he was going to have to use the equipment at the base to boost the signal if he wanted to reach the others.  He could do it, but Neil doubted he'd be able to get away with it more than once.  If he was going to use that technique, he had to make sure he knew what he was talking about when he called the captain.

Which meant it was time for a little sleuthing.  Okay, he could handle that.  He turned back to the base, stopping every few moments to peer over his shoulder at nothing.  He'd be very glad when this was over with!

Back inside, Neil wandered aimlessly among the cultists, who had broken into little groups or sat alone, deep in contemplation.  He could sense the nervousness and anticipation, and the second thoughts that many of them were having.  It seemed that not all of them were sunk in fanaticism.

And none of them seemed to have any idea what was going to happen.  They only knew that Heaven was nearby, somehow located in a barren wasteland and a deserted military base.  Some claimed to sense its presence but, try as he might, Neil hadn't been able to feel anything during his days of prayer and contemplation, except for the cramp in his knees and back, and the boredom of an active mind confined to a less than stimulating environment.

He'd spend more time wondering why the hell he hadn't listened to Captain Edwards.  He'd been showing off again, that's all there was to it.  One would think Neil had learned by now the folly of showing off.

Still, he couldn't help but wonder if Jane was impressed…

_Not, _he thought wryly, _that I'm doing anything that would impress her.  _Anyone could sit with this assorted group and feign to be a cultist, since there seemed to be no preference for what kind of person joined up.  Marie had confirmed this the one time he'd been able to talk to her alone in the past forty-eight hours.

"We've only refused one person," she'd said,  her face crinkling in disgust.  "Some girl, Jamie or something, who carried a stuffed Cthulhu around with her _everywhere.  _There was just something," Marie shuddered, "_wrong _about her."  Neil had no clue what a Cthulhu was, but it must have been pretty bad, since half the people here had no sanity that Neil could detect.  The other half were a sad bunch - the true believers who had lost so much and wanted to fix everything for future generations.  They didn't belong in some crazy cult, in Neil's opinion.  But they seemed to feel there was nothing else they could do to help the world.

Frustrated, Neil collapsed onto the bedroll in the small corner of one of the rooms that he'd staked out for himself.  While his home of the past couple of days was safe – amazingly, in such a large group, there seemed to be no thieves – he was wary around the other cultists, and kept mostly to himself.  Which meant he was bored out of his mind.  All he had were the contents of his bag, most of which were useless.  Sighing, Neil replaced the communicator into is concealed pocket and threw himself backwards on his bedroll.  If nothing was going to happen today, then he was going to get some sleep.  He suspected he was going to need it.

Because tonight he was going to go exploring and see what Heaven's Reach was really up to.  Tonight, he'd make that call to Captain Edwards.

With any luck, he'd be back home this time tomorrow.

*    *    *

Ryan watched as Jane neatly shredded yet another napkin.  She could feel his eyes on her, but she ignored him, concentrating on ripping the napkin into equal lengths and widths.

It kept her busy.  It kept her mind off the boredom of sitting around, waiting for certain corporals to contact them.  It kept her from being… worried about Neil.

"Dammit," she hissed, as the napkin tore unevenly in her hand.  She crumpled the offending cloth and grabbed another off Ryan's plate.

Ryan's large hand cupped hers, stopping her before she could mutilate another hapless victim.  Thwarted, she scowled at the sergeant.  "Now, now, what did that napkin ever do to you?"  The reasonable tone of his voice calmed her, and she released the napkin.

"You're very tense tonight," Ryan observed.  "What's gotten into you?"

"Boredom," she hissed.  "It's been more than two days since…" she trailed off, reluctant to voice her real concern.

"Since Corporal Fleming called," Ryan supplied.  "He's probably just busy."  His eyes crinkled in amusement.  "Maybe they made a real convert out of him."

Jane snorted, momentarily entertaining the thought of Neil wearing a long robe, head shaven and preaching to adoring masses.  "Or maybe they killed him," she said flatly.

"The cult has shown no inclination towards violence so far," Ryan pointed out.

"You don't know Neil.  He could bring out a nun's violent urges."  Her face hardened.  "I just don't want anyone to kill him before I get that pleasure."

Ryan raised his eyebrows.  "What did he ever do to you?" he asked.

_He made me weak…  _Jane kept silent, and Ryan gave up.  "He should never have gone," she seethed, after an uncomfortable silence.  "He should have listened… He never does…"

"What would you have done?" Ryan asked her.

"I would have obeyed – " she began, then hesitated.  "I… I would have done what was right," she finished softly.

"Even if it went against orders?"

Jane licked her lips as she considered.  Ryan was right, she _would _have gone rather than lost Gibson.  "Yes," she said shortly.  She hoped the sergeant wasn't planning to report her words to the captain; they bordered on insubordination.  "But the captain would have let _me _go!  He knows I could have handled it.  Neil… Neil's never done this sort of thing before, that I know of.  He'll break under pressure.  He has before."  That last was as near to a confession as she dared get.

"Maybe he's changed," Ryan suggested.

Jane hoped he was right.  If she was denied the privilege of snapping his neck, she'd be pissed.  But she wasn't concerned for his welfare.  Not at all.

*    *    *

The door lock yielded under Neil's skilled fingers, and he froze as it clicked before the heavy steel door swung open on well-oiled hinges.  But his alert senses, strained to the utmost, picked up no sign that there were others around at this late hour besides himself.

He grinned slightly, relieved that there was no one behind the door.  _One less thing to worry about!  A lesser man would have broken under the pressure, _he thought smugly.

He silently stole into the corridor, dark but for a distant fluorescent light somewhere ahead of him.  The corridor was well-maintained, Neil observed as he made his way along it.  Doors lined the hall, but all were locked, and something about their state suggested they hadn't been used for sometime, so they couldn't hide what Neil sought.  But this corridor was used frequently.  _What are they hiding?_

He could see a dim light ahead, different from the bare bulb hanging from the ceiling.  It was shifting, roiling… strange.  Neil slowed when he saw it, something about the unearthly glow sending chills down his spine.  Cautiously, all senses alert, Neil crept forward.

The corridor ended in what must have been the exercise area for the troops once stationed at the base.  It was larger than a standard gymnasium, with a high ceiling.  Or at least, it had once had a high ceiling.  Most of it had been blasted away, the remaining bent girders dimly illuminated by the unearthly light were shown to be bent inwards, as if by a massive blast from above.

This, then, was the Zeus Cannon's target.  After a quick scan of the room, Neil stepped forward a few feet, past a row of open packing crates that must have carried the new metal railing that ringed a massive pit in the floor.  The diffuse blue light seemed to come from the pit's depths.

_How deep is it? _Neil wondered, feeling a wave of vertigo as he followed the railing to a metal ramp that extended partly over the lip of the chasm.  The sound of his boots on metal carried far, so the room must have excellent acoustics, Neil observed as he stepped onto the ramp, eyes focused downward as he tried to make out what lay within the abyss below.

All he could make out was a churning mass of blue light,  wreathed in mist and constantly in motion.  Neil leaned forward, fascinated.  There was a feeling of peace and tranquility emanating from it, and he wanted to join it, to be as one with it and escape the horrors of the world.  Neil leaned closer, ready to jump into its serene embrace…

…when he smacked his forehead on the guard rail.  With a yelp that reverberated around the room, Neil began to scramble away before he could be caught in the light's hypnotic trance again.

_What is it?_  Neil wondered as he backed against the wall, the shimmering splendor now hidden from sight.  _Is that… Heaven?  _All of Gibson's preachings came back to him in a rush.  _Heaven has fallen, but we can restore it.  Could he really have found Heaven?  Can they really save it?  Would that end the war with the Phantoms?_

Neil struggled to think rationally, but it was difficult.  He could still feel the light's promise of peace, and it was a temptation almost too great to ignore.

He was saved again by another interruption, this time in the form of another steel door, set off to the side, opening and two people entered the chamber.  Neil ducked behind the row of discarded crates, peeking through the gaps to examine the people and see if they were heading his way.

One of them was Alan Gibson, which didn't surprise Neil.  The other was a middle-aged woman whom Neil hadn't seen in person, but recognized as the scientist who'd been with Gibson aboard the Zeus, Dr. Joanne Powell.

_So this is where she's been hiding._  Intrigued, Neil listened to their conversation, made easy by the room's strange acoustics.  

"Nervous, Joanne?" Gibson was saying, as thought continuing a conversation that was already in progress.

"I don't see why you can't do this tomorrow," the scientist answered.

"My flock must be ready," Gibson said calmly.

"The Phantoms are getting closer," Powell pointed out.  "You may not have any time beyond tomorrow."

Neil's blood ran cold.  _Phantoms?_

"The demons will not reach here before I'm prepared."  Gibson's footsteps rang out as he walked along the ramp, reaching the edge and peering down.  Neil shifted to another gap to keep sight of him.  "You know that.  They travel slowly, and are cautious because of the Zeus's devastation.  But you're only worried for yourself, aren't you, Joanne?"  Neil wondered if the scientist heard the dangerous note in the cultist's voice.

"Please… just call a transport and let me leave with the data before the Phantoms attack.  I gave you access to Gaia, and I've stolen all the data I need to earn the scientific respect I deserve.  You don't need me any more!"

"We made a deal."  Gibson's voice was mild, but even from this distance, Neil could hear the deadly undertone.  "Besides, I thought you wanted to see the effect of the souls on Heaven."

Now there was an edge to Powell's voice.  "I do, yes…  but not at the cost of my life.  It's valuable data, but I can likely retrieve it another way."

"It sounds like you're having second thoughts."

Powell's voice was a murmur, and Neil barely caught it.  "You're right.  I don't want to be here when they die."

"Yet, if I let you go now, you could still warn someone, and earth's salvation could be ruined by a misguided rescue attempt."  Gibson moved closer to Powell.

"I wouldn't – " she began.

"You're right, Joanne.  I don't need you here."  Neil was as startled as Powell by Gibson's change of heart.  Neil watched as Gibson placed a reassuring hand on the scientist's shoulder.  "But I'd be a poor partner if I didn't fulfill the rest of my side of the bargain.  You shall see the interaction of souls with Heaven."

Gibson moved before Powell could react, and Neil could only stare, dumbstruck, as the man shoved Powell over the railing.  Her scream carried clearly to Neil, the echoes preserving the terrified sound long after the woman ceased to exist.

"May this be the first of many souls to restore you to greatness," Gibson intoned reverently.

He left the way he'd come, and Neil was left shivering behind the crates, alone with a dead woman's screams.

*    *    *

The com device's insistent bleeping awoke Gray from his slumber.  His combat-trained senses were instantly at full alert as he picked up the portable device and activated it.  _Fleming… finally!  _he thought with relief as the tech's face was reproduced on the small holo-screen.  The man's lack of communication had worried him.  Gray hit the button to record the message before saying, "What's going on, Corporal?"

Neil's voice was a murmur as he said, "I'm sorry it took me so long; I'm in a dead zone and I had to hack into the base's computer.  But I have news for you!"

Gray stayed silent as Neil blurted out what he'd learned.  "I'm at ground zero of where the Zeus fired."  There was a nervous edge to his voice as he quickly glanced around.  "Sir… there's no barrier!  And there are Phantoms coming!"

Gray's eyes widened.  He opened his mouth to question the tech, but Neil was continuing.  "But that's all right, since we won't be here to see them, anyway."  His words were rapid and slightly shrill, as if Neil was fighting back hysteria.  "Gibson's insane; he killed Dr. Powell!  And some time in the next few days he's going to sacri – "

The image of Neil abruptly vanished in static. 

Gray swore as his fingers manipulated the holographic icons, struggling to regain contact with the corporal.  He had no luck, which meant the connection had been severed from the other end.

They'd caught him.  _I should never have let him go…  I should have sent someone with him…_  Gray brushed aside his guilty thoughts.  They had Neil's location.  Once Gray raised the alert, the military could be there in a  matter of hours.

If that wasn't too late.  Neil had said Phantoms were advancing o the base…  and his last word had sounded like "sacrifice."

Gray checked the time, and winced.  It was late, which meant it was _very_ late, or very early, in New York.  General Worthington wouldn't be thrilled at being woken.  But Gray had no choice; Neil was in danger, and as long as the tech was under his command, there was no way Gray could leave him alone in a situation like this.

*    *    *

Neil hadn't realized how frightened he was until his voice cracked while he spoke to the captain.  He was no hero to bravely face death without fear, but he was no coward.

But there was something going on that he didn't understand, and fear of the unknown could be quite powerful.  And he was alone, surrounded by innocents blinded by belief whose faith could compel them to act irrationally.  Without a weapon, he had no way to defend himself.

And if the captain didn't hurry, he'd see Heaven, or whatever it was, up close and personal very soon.  It…  it couldn't truly be Heaven, could it?  That was what shook him the most.

"Gibson's insane; he killed Dr. Powell!"  Neil imagined he could still hear the woman's screams even now.  "And some time in the next few days, he's going to sacri-"

A hand raked through the image of the captain, the fingers snagging the icons and losing the image in a burst of static.  Another hand clamped tightly on Neil's shoulder.

"I'd wondered who the military spy was," Alan Gibson's voice said calmly.  Neil stiffened in the man's grip.

"I don't know what you mean," Neil protested weakly.

"You didn't think I'd be too stupid not to expect the USMF's attention after firing their little toy, did you?"  Gibson's face was in shadow, but Neil could see the deadly gleam in the fanatic's eye.

Neil couldn't think of an answer that wouldn't set the man off, so he just gulped and remained silent.  Gibson pried the communicator from Neil's fingers and crushed it.

"I presume," Gibson continued, "that since you knew about Dr. Powell's death, you were there when it happened."

Still, Neil didn't respond.  _Now I know he's not going to let me survive this.  I know too much!_

"You got a glimpse of Heaven itself," Gibson said reverently.  "If the military comes and puts a stop to this, then Heaven will continue to weaken and eventually die, and the demons will completely overrun the planet.  Do you want that?"

"No," Neil was forced to admit.  "But sacrificing the cultists won't help matters!"

"Who said anything about sacrifice?" Gibson asked, sounding honestly shocked.  "There's no sacrifice involved; not in the sense you mean, anyway.  These people are offering their souls to Heaven in order to strengthen it so it can fight back against the Hellspawn."

"They won't be offering when they hear what you plan," Neil said, but he was uncertain.

"Won't they?  How close did you get to Heaven?  Didn't you feel it welcoming you?  Didn't you want to be one with it?"

Neil started to protest, then remembered the feeling that had almost compelled him to jump over the rail to the light below.

The cultists wouldn't have a chance.

Gibson took his silence as an affirmative.  "They'll all be willing, eager, even, to give their lives for the cause."

"I thought murder was a sin," Neil said bitterly.

"But willing sacrifice isn't," Gibson countered. "To give one's life for the good of others is a noble cause.  Isn't that what you do as a soldier?"

Neil hesitated as Gibson's words sank in.  "It's not the same," he said lamely.

"I was a soldier once, too," Gibson reminded him.  "The only difference is that _this_ is a sacrifice that will save the planet from the demons."  Gibson's grip tightened on Neil's arm, and he began to lead the tech away.  "You'll soon see," the cultist continued.

Neil swallowed.  "What are you going to do with me?" he asked softly.

"You'll be offered to Heaven," Gibson said calmly.  "Your only sin is ignorance; you'll be welcomed."

"_That's_ murder," Neil stated.

"So is what I did to Dr. Powell."

Neil's blood was chilled by Gibson's words.  "I thought you said –"

"I never said I wouldn't kill anybody to keep Heaven safe.  If it means a few stains on my soul, then so be it."

So much for appealing to Gibson's morals.  "But the military is coming.  They'll put a stop to this.  And what do you think they'll do to Heaven when they find it?"

"They won't.  In about three hours, the cultists will give their lives.  Sooner than I'd like, thanks to you, but the effect will be the same.  And the USMF won't find it.  I'm going to bomb the entrance closed, so Heaven can heal in peace."

_Shit… I have to get out of here!  I have to warn the cultists…  If they'll even listen…_  Neil moved as fast as he could, breaking Gibson's grip and attacking the man before he knew what was happening.

Or so he'd thought.  The cultists must have been waiting for such an attempt; he dodged Neil's fists and lashed out with one foot, catching Neil in the leg.  A wet snapping sound echoed in the corridor, and Neil went down with a cry as his broken leg gave out under him.

"Now look what you made me do," Gibson said, his face unsympathetic.  "But don't worry; Heaven doesn't care if you're whole in body."

Neil could only whimper in response.

*    *    *

_I shouldn't do this…  _Jane adjusted her armor, giving the fastenings one last check.  _I'll get into so much trouble…_  She picked up her Nocturne, noting the weapon was at full charge.  _Stupid Neil… making me come to rescue him again…_

When the captain had replayed the message for them, Jane had thought Neil was overreacting.  Until he mentioned Phantoms.  And sacrifice…  Captain Edwards had reported Neil's message to General Worthington as soon as the man could be awakened, and the USMF soldiers in Seattle were now "awaiting orders."  In other words, there was a conflict of military rank between Worthington and Seattle's general, and it would take some time before the troops would be sent out.

Too late for Neil, Jane knew with a dread certainty.

So she'd snuck out of their hotel to the USMF barracks where they'd stored their gear.  _Someone _had to help Neil before it was too late.

_But why me?  Why am I always the one saving that idiot?  Why do I care?  _She thought she'd left those feelings behind when she'd left the Houston Military Academy.  _I don't still _love _him, _she told herself firmly.  _But I… I can't let him die like this…_

She was risking her career for him.  She was risking her life; she knew that she could do little on her own to save him.  _Just a simple snatch and run, is all.  In Phantom infested territory.  Alone.  Against orders.  And I'll be leaving all the other cultists to their fate…  _That gnawed at Jane, but she knew there was nothing she could do.  Perhaps she could just cause enough of a distraction to keep the cultists safe until the USMF got moving and came to the rescue.  That would be worth a court martial, wouldn't it?  _Damn you, Neil, why do you always leave me in these situations?_

"Corporal Proudfoot?  What do you think you're doing?"  Jane's heart sank as she heard the captain's familiar voice.  She turned slowly to see him behind her, with Ryan at his back.

Jane stiffened.  "I – " she began.

"You were going to sneak out, weren't you?" the captain asked, though his tone implied he already knew the answer.  "You were going to go after Corporal Fleming on your own."

"We can't just leave him like that!" she snapped defensively.  "As long as he's part of our squad, he's under out protection!  Who knows when the soldiers will finally get moving, and they may be too late."

Gray's lips thinned.  "I expected better of you than to take off on your own," he said, and she winced at the disappointment in his voice.  "Perhaps you aren't as good as the general said."  Jane bristled, but she knew she deserved it.  Under no circumstances was a soldier to leave without orders on such a dangerous exploit.  But… how could the captain just calmly wait while a soldier placed in his care was in danger?  She'd only worked with Gray for a month, but she had thought well of him.  Had she been wrong?

"At the HMA, they taught us to watch each other's backs, and to leave no one behind if it's possible to save them."  Jane remembered the lesson well.  _No one gets left behind…_

"I'm very disappointed, Corporal," the captain continued, seemingly oblivious to her words.  "I can't believe you'd think I'd let a squad member die like this."

"Sir?" Jane's head snapped up, and she met Gray's eyes.

"I volunteered to head a scouting party to Neil's location.  The rest of the soldiers should be mobilized in a little over an hour.  We should be able to disrupt whatever the cult is planning, and perhaps even rescue Corporal Fleming ourselves."  His gaze hardened.  "Can I trust you to come with us and obey my orders, or do I need to place you under arrest?"

"Do what you think is best, sir," Jane said.

Gray's face softened.  "Good.  I'm glad you're concerned with the welfare of a teammate.  Just don't let it affect your judgment next time.  And… trust me.  I learned the same lessons you did.  I won't leave anyone behind."

Jane sighed with relief.  She was off the hook, for now, anyway.  She had a feeling she'd be on probation for some time, but she'd work hard to prove herself to the captain.  And she wouldn't let Neil down.  It would be too hard to hate him if he died.

*    *    *

The pain was intense, but there was nothing Neil could do about it except keep still.  He didn't have anything to make a splint, and there was nothing he could do about the pain except bear it, like a good soldier.  In a couple hours, it wouldn't matter, anyway.

_Don't be such a pessimist! _he chided himself angrily.  Captain Edwards knew where he was.  They'd had the coordinates of the Zeus's shot when he left, so finding him wouldn't be the hard part.

No.  It would be finding him _in time_ that worried Neil.  Even if the military arrived before the Phantoms, even if they came before Gibson had the chance to sacrifice the cultists, there was still the matter of the bombs.  Gibson seemed like the type to detonate them rather than let the USMF find his Heaven.

And, Neil was forced to admit, he agreed.  If that blue light truly was Heaven, no one had the right to experiment with it.  And it was possible more people like Gibson would appear because of it if they knew of its existence.

Which was why Neil didn't expect to escape with his life.  He wondered which fate would claim him first.  He'd seen enough Phantom-related deaths to know it wasn't painless.  And the word "sacrifice" painted some rather grisly images, though he didn't know what really lay at the bottom of the pit.  Maybe it would be peaceful, painless… or perhaps it would be eternal torture.

That left the bomb.  Or rather, bombs.  Neil knew one alone wouldn't be powerful enough to seal the hole, but several of them strategically placed could.

Neil gave a disgusted shake of his head.  He didn't want to think about death in his final hours!  It was difficult to keep his mind off the subject, admittedly, especially since he was being kept prisoner in a shaft that held one of Gibson's bombs.  He could see it lodged in a crevasse slightly above him, its lights flickering ominously.  He considered sabotaging it, but he had no clue how to disarm a bomb.  And he had no desire to hurry his death along by accidentally detonating it.

But what else could he do?  Running away wasn't an option, even if he could escape.  Neil could feel the bone protruding beneath his kneecap.  He was shocked it hadn't broken the skin.

It hurt…  He'd never really felt physical pain like this before…

Ugh.  He needed to get his mind off the pain as well as his imminent death.  Once again, his eyes were drawn to the bomb.

He couldn't disarm it.  He knew that.  But could he do something else?  Painfully, using the rough stone walls as support, Neil pulled himself to his feet, biting his lip to keep from crying out.  Hobbling awkwardly, he made it to the bomb and peered at it.

His searching eyes found the detonator.  The small screen set above a number pad displayed the bomb's readiness.  It was set to blow, then, waiting only for the final command.  It would detonate ten minutes after the command was given, probably so Gibson would have time to get back and throw himself into Heaven.  Without the deactivation codes, he couldn't disarm it that way, either.   Tentatively, he tapped the keypad to bring up the display for its link to the other bombs, then smiled at what he saw.   A vague plan formed, dangerous but possibly the only way to save his life and the cultists as well…

When they came for him, he was huddled miserably in his former position.  Two large cultists gently took Neil by the arms and half-carried him between them.  Their care surprised him; the military would never treat a prisoner so well.

He heard the cultists before he saw them; a roaring sea of voices, raised in prayer.  They jammed the tunnels, since not all could fit in the room that contained the abyss with its light, and Neil had a moment of hope that they'd be unable to get through.  But they parted without protest as Neil was led towards the deep chasm and what it contained.  He mentally steeled himself against it, and was pleased when he no longer found its call so seductive.

Gibson stood before the ramp, with a white-faced Marie and the other priests and priestesses arrayed around him.  The cultists, those who could cram themselves inside, pressed against the railing eagerly.  Heaven, or whatever it was, was doing its work on their minds.  Gibson was right; these people were like lambs for the slaughter.

This was going to be difficult.  But Neil didn't need to get through to all of them… and he figured human nature would do the rest.  Assuming he could get his plan to work.  Assuming he'd gotten the timing right.  Assuming anyone even listened to him.  There was far too much that could go wrong.

As Neil was taken closer, Gibson flashed him a benevolent smile.  "This sheep, who has strayed from our flock, will be the first to experience the glory of Heaven and seeks its forgiveness."  Neil wondered why no one thought it was odd that Gibson would let a supposed transgressor have the first "honor" of being sacrificed.  Was Gibson's hold really that tight over them?  _But he does have to get rid of me first… I'm inconvenient._  He placidly hobbled forward between his captors, giving them no excuse to be rough with him.

"Come forward," Gibson said, and Neil's escorts brought him closer to the edge of the ramp than he'd have liked.  "Soon, you will know Paradise."

Sighs of longing echoed around the room, amplifying and assaulting his ears.  _This is it…_  "Father, may I make a confession?" he asked in a rush, before Gibson could move to silence him.

Gibson started, then smiled.  "Of course, if that is what you wish.  What is it you would like to confess?"

Neil took a deep breath and said loudly, "I set a bomb."

The words carried clearly, cutting through the respectful silence of the cultists.  Soft murmurs echoed back to him, and he knew the words were spreading to those too far to hear.

"Impossible," Gibson hissed, but Neil could see the man's alarm.  Blowing them all to pieces would ruin his plans.  Neil had received the impression that they all had to die _within _Heaven for it to work, or the so-called Hellspawn would claim their souls first.

"No.  I used the bomb's transmitter to set the other bombs to blow in a sequence, since someone had conveniently already punched in the arming codes.  The first one should blow in about…" Neil consulted his watch, "five minutes."

"You'd kill us all?" Gibson was incredulous.  "Murderer!" he cried.

It was becoming harder to be heard of the raised voices of the crowd, but Neil raised his voice to a shout as he said, "Just like you murdered Dr. Powell!"

The crowd's confusion and fear carried clearly to Neil.  As he'd thought, his declaration was turning a group of rational – well, almost – human beings into a herd of panicky, unthinking creatures.  He needed only to frighten a few enough to run, and the whole crowd would mindlessly follow in a blind panic, hopefully running away from the source of their fear.

"No!"  It was Marie's voice that came to Neil, and the woman came forward, her eyes wide.  "Father Gibson, tell me you didn't kill her."

"Marie," Gibson said soothingly, "Dr. Powell wanted to help save the planet-"

"You _did_!  You _killed _her!" Marie cried, her eyes filling with tears.

Neil blinked, wondering what the hell was going on, and a little jealous Marie had stolen the show.  Well, at least it was distracting his captors, who had loosened their grips as they watched the unfolding drama.  Not that he could escape on his bad leg, though.

"How could you?" Marie whispered, pushing past Neil.

Two things happened at once:  Marie suddenly lunged at the startled Gibson, pushing him back onto the ramp.  And the first of the bombs detonated.

As Neil had suspected, the first bomb alone wasn't powerful enough to bring the whole base down; but there were screams as a section of rail and floor gave way and a number of cultists were thrown into the pit.  Neil himself screamed as he fell onto his bad leg, and his guards were thrown to either side of him.

_Fifteen minutes until the second one blows…_  The crowd began to stampede away from the danger, all thoughts of noble sacrifice forgotten with their flight instincts triggered.  Except for a few… Out of the corner of his eye, Neil saw a few of the cultists actually jump into the abyss.

_This isn't the best way I could have handled this, _he thought through a haze of pain,_ but what else could I have done?  At least… at least we can still catch Gibson and save most of the cultists… if help gets here in time…_

Where was Gibson, anyway?  Using the railing to climb to his feet, unaware of the fact that the bone had now torn its way through his flesh, Neil searched for the cult leader.  He saw Marie first, kneeling at the edge of the ramp and staring down.  Then he saw Gibson's hands, knuckles white as the man clung to the metal.  Marie's lunge had pushed him to the ramp's edge, and the bomb's blast had thrown him off.  Neil hoped Marie had the strength to pull Gibson up, because Neil didn't think he'd have the leverage he needed to do it with his bad leg.

"The next bomb's going off soon," Neil called to her.  "Help him up and let's go."

Marie's shoulders were stiff with rage.  "No," she said, her voice choked with tears.  "She wasn't supposed to die; we were going to leave together!"

"Let me fall," Gibson pleaded, and Neil saw Marie had a firm grip around one of his hands.  She wasn't going to let him go.

"You don't deserve Heaven," Marie hissed.  With a mighty heave, she pulled, and Neil was surprised to see Gibson trying to help her lift him free.

"You're right."  Gibson's voice was a whisper.  "I don't deserve it."

"How long until the next bomb goes off?" Marie asked.

Neil checked his watch.  "Ten minutes."

"And what's waiting for us outside the base?" she demanded.

"Nothing," Neil admitted, fervently hoping that Captain Edwards had sent help, that the Phantoms hadn't arrived yet, that this was all just a bad dream and he'd wake up…

Marie supported Neil as they hurried down the corridors, Gibson ahead of them where they could watch him.  His shoulders were slumped, and he was muttering under his breath.  Neil thought he recognized it as a confession.

They met few people on the way out.  Neil wondered if they realized there would be nothing outside waiting for them.

Except, perhaps, death.

*    *    *

Jane ignored the concerned gazes of her teammates as she silently stared straight ahead, her posture stiff.  Only the nervous movements of the fingers that cradled her helmet betrayed her anxiety.

She couldn't believe she was this worried for Neil.  She'd thought those emotions had died long ago, or were buried so deeply they'd never surface.  Though she would never find herself in his arms again, or receive his tender caresses, or taste his lips again, she still cared for him.

Perhaps, if they survived this, they could be friends?  Jane hadn't realized how much she'd missed that quick grin, that deceptively easy-going manner, or his sharp wit.  If he died she'd fell so… empty.

Perhaps it was because she'd so recently lost Jack and her emotions were still raw.  Or maybe, just maybe, it was because her hatred of Neil had been a mask for what she really felt.  He couldn't die thinking she still hated him!

"How long?" Jane asked tensely, breaking the silence.

"About twenty minutes," the captain answered, after a quick consultation with their pilot.

Too long.  Jane chafed at her inability to do anything, but she had to admit, she was better off having waited for the rest of her squad.  She was ashamed to realize she'd never even considered just how to get to Neil on her own, since her own piloting skills were limited.

"Pilot says they sent out more soldiers and transports for the cultists," the captain added after a moment.  "They're about twenty minutes behind us."

Jane sighed with relief, then tensed when she saw the look on the captain's face as he continued to listen through his link to the cockpit.  "What is it, sir?"

In answer, Gray activated the holo-board that showed the terrain below them.  Hooked to the scanner, it was able to display luminescent icons where the Phantoms were gathered.  There were a lot of icons.

"They're moving towards Corporal Fleming's location," the captain said grimly.

*    *    *

It was still dark outside when Neil, Marie, and Gibson emerged, but the near-full moon threw enough light for them to see by.  _I've never seen the sky so clearly, _Neil couldn't help but think.  Always, the sky had been hiding by an active barrier, or filtered through the windows of a ship.  To be out under the stars, to see everything bathed in natural light…  _this was Heavenly._

Neil snapped out of his rapture when Marie came to a halt, and he crashed into her with a cry.  The adrenaline rush was wearing off, and he was starting to really feel his broken leg.

The cultists were scattered around them, moving uneasily.  Away from the threat of bombs, they had a new worry.  _Out of the frying pan, into the fire…_

"How far is the safety zone?" Neil asked Gibson.  He had no clue how widely the bombs were set.

"About half a mile," the man said dully.

"We only have three minutes before the next one goes off," Neil said through gritted teeth.  "We'll never get far enough away."  _Why didn't I put more time between the detonations? he mentally cursed himself.  Too late to worry about that._

"Especially not on that leg," Marie said.  "Did you know you're bleeding?"

He hadn't; she yanked off the belt from her robe to prepare a tourniquet.  "There's no time for that," Neil protested.

"No time to run, either.  We'll just have to brace ourselves and pray this section doesn't cave."  Marie carefully tied the belt around his leg.  _Odd, _Neil thought.  _There's something different about her.  Why did Dr. Powell's death affect her so?_

Despite their warning and their efforts to keep steady, the second detonation sent Neil tumbling, and he heard screams from the cultists.  The side of his head was now pressed to the ground, and Neil could hear the rumbling as the ground broke up beneath him.  A massive split tore the ground near his head, but fortunately, the worst damage seemed to be to the base itself, which sagged inward.  _I hope no one was left in there, he thought._

"We need to get out of here," Marie said, tugging Neil to his feet.  "We have to gather the others…  There must be somewhere we can go –"

With a scream of metal, the base began to fold inward.  The cultists all watched, dumbstruck, as their home of the past few days was drawn into the abyss.

"Obviously not back there," Neil joked weakly.

"Is there anywhere nearby?" Marie asked stonily, her eyes on Gibson.  The cult leader was still seated, arms around his knees.

"No.  But it isn't too late," he added quietly.  "There's still a way in to Heaven – "

"Shut up," Marie said angrily.  She left Neil desperately trying to keep his balance as she yanked Gibson to his feet.  "Call the others to you, if they'll listen.  We're getting out of here together."

_Or not at all, _Neil thought.

Gibson sighed but raised his voice, calling to the others, appealing to them to come together in this time of crisis.  Most of those closest to him listened, and others followed in the hope that their leader had some plan to save them all.

"We'll only just meet our deaths together," Gibson said softly.  "Can you hear the Hellspawn?  They're coming."

Neil stiffened.  He'd been so worried about the others and the next detonation, the third of six, that he hadn't been listening for the deadliest threat.  But now that he was keeping his ears open, he could hear them over the frightened noises of the crowd.

The Phantoms had arrived.

"I thought they weren't supposed to get here for another couple of days," Neil said.  "Don't you just love how they don't act how they're supposed to?"  He had trouble hiding the quaver in his voice.  Facing the Phantoms armed and armored, with plenty of backup, was one thing.  But he was injured, vulnerable, surrounded by a bunch of panicky citizens…  This was the nightmare situation everyone feared.

The first screams began five minutes before the next explosion.  Two minutes later, Neil heard another sound:  The whine of an engine, somewhere overhead.

"Someone's coming!" a voice screamed, and Neil felt like screaming with joy himself.  Help was on the way.

But there was only one craft, a Copperhead.  Only a few troops.  And no way for all the cultists to escape.

A minute before detonation, three shapes tumbled from the ship, landing in a filmy green gel that rapidly dissipated.  Immediately, they brought up their Nocturnes and began to fire at the unseen Phantoms.

"The pilot's dropping buoys!  Help will be here in twenty minutes!  Stay together!" a male voice said, amplified by his helmet speaker.  Captain Edwards.  Neil directed Marie to take him over to the captain.

"Captain!" Neil cried.  "We have to move!  There are bombs!"

"Bombs?" the captain repeated.

As if to punctuate Neil's warning, the next one went off.   The Deep Eyes managed to hold their ground, but the earth around them shook, and Neil thought he felt something beneath him give.  The cultists surged blindly forward as chunks of the ground broke and fell into newly forming crevices, and only the fact that most of the Phantoms were being drawn by the energy buoys kept their panic from being a massacre.  

Neil staggered again, this time falling against someone in armor.  He saw the wings on the chestplate and smiled.  "Hey, Jane," he said.

"Why the hell did they set bombs?" Jane asked as she fought to keep her balance on the uneven ground.

"That was me, actually," Neil admitted, embarrassed.  "I was trying to save lives."

"I can't wait to hear the explanation for this," the captain said, as his gaze swept the terrain.  The buoys, with their powerful concentration of spiritual energy, were more desirable to the Phantoms than a crowd of humans, or so the theory went.  That hadn't distracted them from decimating cities.

"The next one goes off in fifteen minutes," Neil said.  "There are three more left, possibly with a half mile radius."

"Then we have to move," the captain said.  "Ryan!" he called into his com, "Get them moving away from the base!"  The sergeant was on the far side of the crowd, trying to give them protection.  At his order, the cultists began to move.

"Sir… my leg…" Neil said helplessly.

At the captain's urging, two cultists stepped forward to help.  Neil looked for Marie, and spotted her with Gibson.  She was making damned sure he didn't escape.

The next thirteen minutes were the most terrifying Neil had ever experienced.  Any moment, he knew, the unstable ground could give way under his feet, or the Phantoms could lose interest in the buoys.  He could see them now, stained orange by the energies.  He hadn't realized there were _Metas _nearby.

"They're here!" he heard the captain cry out suddenly from behind him, and he looked up to see a convoy of ships coming to a landing ahead of them.  Two minutes; they had to hurry, since they were still too close to the bombs for comfort.  "Corporal, I want you in the Copperhead with us," the captain said.  "Did you get Gibson?"

"He's back there," Neil said, gesturing with a nod of his head.

"Good; he's coming with us."  Neil saw Jane come up to Gibson and take his arm from Marie.  The priestess stubbornly followed them towards the Copperhead.

"Phantoms are coming," Neil heard Ryan say over the captain's link.  Neil spared a look back, seeing several of the aliens pull away from the buoys to resume the hunt.  It wouldn't be long before the rest followed.

The cultists rushed forward, and the soldiers who had arrived with the transports quickly but expertly divided them into groups and herded them onboard.  Neil and his escorts went up the Copperhead's ramp, followed by Ryan and Captain Edwards.  Jane came next, followed by Gibson and Marie.

The Copperhead's engines whined as it began lifting off before they were fully on board.  But it didn't leave the ground fast enough; the next explosion was close, rocking the ship.  Jane lost her grip on Gibson as she fought to keep her footing, and Marie nearly tumbled off.  The priestess grabbed one of the struts with one hand. Her other hung by the cult leader, who held the edge in a death grip.  Jane tried to move towards them to grab them and pull them in.  The hatch couldn't close with them obstructing it.

Just then, a long, glittering tentacle reached through the hatch, and Jane jerked backwards.  It missed Marie, but brushed Gibson.

"No!" the cultist screamed.  It hadn't killed him, but Neil had no idea if they'd get him back in time to save his life.

"Yes," he heard Marie say emotionlessly.  "_This _is what you deserve.  Not life in prison.  Not an eternity in Heaven."  She smashed her free hand on his, breaking his tenuous grip.  "Go to Hell, Alan."  The cultist fell backward.  Marie swung her free hand to Jane, who pulled her inside, and the hatch closed as they lifted from the Phantom's reach.

Marie sat beside Neil and buried her face in her hands.  Jane sat a little ways away, watching.  "Marie?  Why did you do it?  We had enough on him to lock him away for good."

Marie looked at him with tear-stained eyes.  "Dr. Powell was my mother," she said simply.  "I was in this so I could be with her."

Neil could think of nothing to say to that.  Indeed, he didn't feel like saying anything right then, because everything just hurt too much.

*    *    *

Jane hesitated outside the hospital room, mentally bracing herself.  Taking a deep breath, she stepped inside.  Neil was awake, looking rather cheerful despite the cast that encased his leg.  He smiled when he saw her.

"Come to gloat over how you had to save me again?" he asked, though his tone was good-natured.  "What is it now, five times?"

"Shut up," she told him.  "This is hard enough without you talking."  To her relief, he obeyed.  "I wanted to apologize," she said in a rush.  "If I hadn't pushed you, you might not have been in this situation."

"No, if you hadn't pushed me, I'd still be in this situation; it just would have taken me longer to make up my mind."

"I told you to shut up.  I just wanted to say, I don't hate you."

Neil was silent, and she waited for him to say something.  Anything.  Just as long as he didn't get the wrong idea…  "Then why did you act the way you did?" he asked finally.  "I've never seen you so cruel.  Hard, yes, but this was bad even for you."

"I lost someone important to me recently," she said.  "Then you came along, and it was like you were here to take his place."  She held up his hand to stop him.  "I know that wasn't your intent.  It's just… well…"  She couldn't go on.  "I don't want to be your enemy.  Do you think we can start again?  As friends?"

Neil stared.  "Um… sure," he said, sounding baffled.  "But Jane, you don't have to do that.  You don't have to see me again after this.  I'll stay out of your life.  I promise."

Now Jane smiled.  She was glad the captain had let her be the one to share this bit of news.  "Actually, despite the fact that your rescue was a little unorthodox, after careful consideration, the captain agreed that you did the best anyone could have done under the circumstances.  And General Worthington agreed.  He wants you to be part of our team.  As a permanent member."

Neil's eyes widened.  "And you're okay with this?"

She nodded.  "Just don't do anything stupid, Neil."

"You'll be there to stop me," he said.

"Always," she said with a slight smile, and left.  As she walked down the sterile corridor, she wondered what she'd meant by the last, then shrugged.  They were teammates now, for better or for worse.  And she would be there for him, as she would be there for Ryan, or the captain.

Always.

The End


End file.
